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THE SEAL OF DESTINY 



IDA HOLMES BEHYMER 



F. TENNYSON NEELY CO. 


NEW YORK LONDON 



*\ 

A 





TZs , 

.3 3^8 


THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 
Two Copies Received 

DEC. «8 190! 

COPYRIGHT ENTRY 

CLASS CC xXc. No. 

23 / 6 $ 

COK* 8. 


Copyright, 1901, 
by 

IDA HOLMES BEHYMER, 
in 
the 

United States 
and 

Great Britain. 



THE SEAL OF DESTINY. 


CHAPTER I. 

It was the close of a summer day. A gentle 
breeze was springing up, stirring the foliage, sway- 
ing the grass and fanning the cheeks of a little 
girl who sat dreamily gazing through an open 
window at the sun sinking in glory behind a drift 
of clouds which were visible above the boughs of a 
fruit orchard across the way. 

She inhaled the odor of a bush of roses that grew 
beneath the casement, one tendril of which had 
pushed its way through the lattice and being 
deprived of sunshine and rain had put forth 
blighted blossoms and pale green leaves. The 
child, whose name was Alta, fingered it tenderly 
as she wondered why it had grown in that direc- 
tion instead of some other, and compared it to 
those unfortunate people who have made the mis- 
take of getting in the wrong place and thereby 
not only blighting their lives, but possibly frus- 
trating opportunities to make themselves useful to 
their fellow-beings. 


2 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Although but twelve years of age, Alta was very 
studious, and earnestly desired to make her life 
useful and of some good to every one with whom 
she came in contact. 

Her father, Mr. Townsley, was a working-man, 
supporting his family by daily labor. 

Their home was in Illinois, not many miles 
from the state’s capital and therefore was 
situated in a rich agricultural district. Had it 
not been for the wealthy farmers living in the 
vicinity, who supplied the villagers with work, 
their circumstances would have been more strait- 
ened than they were, as few among them were 
financially able to give his neighbor employment. 
Usually the daughters of these villagers found situ- 
ations as domestics in the farmers’ families as soon 
as they were old enough to perform household du- 
ties. Knowing nothing better and dreaming of 
nothing else, Alta Townsley eagerly looked for- 
ward to the time when she should reach the age 
and be strong enough to go out to service and 
thereby be enabled to clothe herself and save her 
father this expense, and if she could, to spare him 
a part of her wages to spend upon the younger 
children, her sympathetic disposition leading her 
to always think of others. 

Mrs. Townsley although a woman of limited 
education was naturally refined and would have 
made things comparatively pleasant even in a 
home of poverty, had not her husband, who was 
hardened from always battling with odds, been 
constantly storming about, scolding his wife and 
children, the latter of whom he had domineered 
over until they stood in terror of and dared not 


3 


The Seal of Destiny. 

disobey him; and it mattered not how much they 
tried to please him and win his approval, he was 
not susceptible to kindness and did not care to 
please others. 

Always under the impression that educated peo- 
ple thought themselves better than the unedu- 
cated, Mr. Townsley had been heard to say that 
none of his children should become educated and 
thereby show him the disrespect of rising above 
him, and therefore if he discovered a spark of 
sentiment, or saw a disposition to refinement, in 
any one of them he immediately set about to crush 
it, by becoming more cruelly exacting and sending 
the offender to perform some difficult manual 
labor. 

Alta, with her ardent love for all the beauti- 
ful tilings of life, was the one to most frequently 
provoke parental displeasure, therefore the one 
who received the worst punishment. The more 
he tried to harden her and the more she strove to 
not offend him the more nature determined she 
should develop according to its plans and grow 
up from childhood into quiet, gentle and kindly 
dispositioned girlhood whose purity and refine- 
ment was stamped on every feature. 

With all his faults, Mr. Townsley was a hard 
working man and such provision as he was able 
to make for those depending upon him was al- 
ways honestly provided. 

Giving to her flowers and books all the time 
she could spare, Alta found as she reached her 
fourteenth year she was without companions, 
there being none among the village girls of her 
age who cared for poetry and botany or had tastes 


4 The Seal of Destiny. 

similar to her own. So the distance between her 
and her childhood playmates widened, and not 
infrequently cutting remarks reached her, about 
the way Alta Townsley was holding herself above 
folks who were as good as she. At first these re- 
ports disturbed the girl, and she was hurt that she 
should be so judged by her schoolmates. But be- 
coming accustomed to it, and knowing there was 
no foundation other than jealousy, for this state 
of affairs, she dismissed the subject from her 
thoughts and became more closely than ever 
united to her books and her garden, while she 
wished with all her heart, that her father could by 
some good fortune become possessed of the means 
to fulfill the one great desire of his life to move 
his family to some of the southwestern states, and 
thereby better their condition. 

Having a talent for drawing, Alta had on one 
occasion won a prize for a crayon sketch, and this 
success prompted her to compete for a ten-dollar 
prize offered for the best drawing done by her class. 
The girl's pride kept her from mentioning to any 
one what she was about to undertake, always think- 
ing if she failed she would thus be saved humilia- 
tion. 

The spot she chose to sketch was a daisy-field 
just back of her father’s garden. Through one 
corner of this meadow flowed a clear, sparkling 
brook, spanned by a fallen tree "which had done 
service as a bridge for years. Near one end of 
this log grew a gnarled elm-tree in a drooping 
bough of which an oriole had built her nest, and 
returned and occupied it for several seasons. This 


5 


The Seal of Destiny. 

was a hallowed spot to Alta, for under this tree 
she had played since childhood and the first brave 
act of her life was when she succeeded in crossing 
the brook on the log bridge, thereby winning her 
brother’s praise. 


6 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER II. 

One day while working upon the drawing, which 
was about finished, Alta was startled by her father’s 
harsh voice. “Go into the house and burn that 
trash,” he commanded. And taking her arm he 
hurried her indoors. Once out of sight of the 
neighbors, he tightened his grip and shook her. 
Then snatching the drawing from her hand, he 
threw it into the fire, w r here the frightened girl 
saw the flames devour it. Angered beyond con- 
trol, he threatened her with a worse punishment, 
should he catch her wasting her time in such a way 
again, and ordered her to prepare some rice 
gruel for one of the children who was ill. 

Although grieved that her sketch should at the 
last moment became ill-starred, Alta forced back 
the tears, as she poured the pearly grains of rice 
from one hand to the other. 

Suddenly her attention was arrested by some 
small bean-shaped seeds mixed through the grain. 
She had many times seen these seeds in rice but 
it had never occurred to her to question what they 
might bring forth were they planted. 

Many times things come apparently as a solace 
for some denied pleasure. So it was with Alta. 
She had hoped to win the ten dollars that she 


7 


The Seal of Destiny. 

might give it to her father to help him move, 
and now the trivial incident of planting these 
seeds was in course of time to bring about that 
much longed for event. 

One autumn day, Alta and her sister Winifred 
were returning from the woods with baskets of 
nuts, and were walking leisurely along the coun- 
try road, Alta frequently stopping to examine 
the wild-flowers which grew by the wayside. The 
girls made a picturesque pair as they sauntered 
along, clad in their faded calico gowns and ging- 
ham sun-bonnets. 

Hearing the sound of hoofs they turned and 
saw coming after them, on horseback, a young man 
whom they recognized as the son of a farmer liv- 
ing in the neighborhood. 

This young Mr. Wilson the Townsley children 
had known since infancy, but being of a wealthy 
family, and moving in different circles, they had 
never spoken to him, and they expected him to 
pass without noticing them, but Mr. Wilson was 
impelled to be polite to the poverty-stricken, and 
he felt somewhat lonely as he rode along the high- 
way. They were surprised when they saw him 
reining in his horse. 

Greeting them pleasantly, he stood talking for 
awhile, finally remarking that he knew who they 
were, as he had seen them many times when pass- 
ing their father’s cottage. “Do you not think it is 
time we were putting aside formality and becom- 
ing more neighborly ?” he asked. Springing from 
his horse, and slipping the rein over his arm he 
walked along with them, his well groomed ap- 
pearance contrasting strongly with their coarse 


8 


The Seal of Destiny. 

shoes and faded garments. The girls soon forgot 
their embarrassment and found themselves pleas- 
antly entertained, as he related incidents of his 
childhood, home and school life. He told them 
that, at present, he was home on a vacation from 
St. Louis, where he was a law student. 

“My vacation is drawing to a close, and I must 
soon be deprived of the freedom of country life, 
and be shut up in the close schoolroom for another 
long siege of close application to books. The ad- 
vantage of an education is the greatest blessing, 
and I presume your parents intend to have you re- 
ceive the best the village affords ?” he said. 

“I am sorry to say/ 5 Alta candidly replied, 
“that papa does not see the need of an education, 
but I intend to have an education. No power in the 
world can prevent me from having the one long- 
ing of my life gratified. To become an educated 
woman, I resolved long ago, and with this object 
in view all my spare time of the past three years 
has been given to study/ 5 she said with a sigh. 

The beautiful autumn days glided all too soon 
into the ruder days of winter, and with the cold 
weather came all the hardships and discomforts 
of previous years. Not being able to afford heat- 
ers, the Townsleys tried to keep warm by re- 
maining near their cooking stove, while the dreary 
months passed slowly. 

At the beginning of school, Mr. Townsley told 
Alta and her brother Herbert, who was older than 
she, that they must make the most of this term as 
he intended it to be their last, for in the spring he 
expected them to find employment and henceforth 
help support themselves. This announcement was 


9 


The Seal of Destiny. 

not altogether unpleasant to Alta, who,~although 
she loved study, was anxious to earn money to help 
the rest of the family. From early childhood 
the mystery of plant life had had the greatest fas- 
cination for the girl, and untutored, she had groped 
her way into the hidden life of vegetation, with- 
out a reference book to guide her until at the 
age of ten she was quite at home in the domain 
of flora. All the recreation she cared for was 
working in the garden, not infrequently rising 
when the dawn was just pearling in the east and 
going forth to her self-appointed task of studying 
the nature of some plant which had interested her. 

One bright spring day, Alta was busying her- 
self among her flowers, and hearing her name 
called, she turned and saw Mr. Wilson standing 
at the gate. Pleased to see him she advanced to 
meet him with extended hand. 

“I have never seen you when you were not study- 
ing flowers, either by the wayside, in your garden, 
or climbing the hill searching among the under- 
growth for some unfortunate blossom which has 
been deprived of sunshine and naturally sprung 
forth a pale and feeble plant.” 

“Perhaps it would not have solicited my sym- 
pathy had it not been an abused specimen of its 
kind,” Alta answered. “I have never mentioned 
it, for fear of being ridiculed, but I think I may 
safely tell you, that the one yearning of my life 
is to gain a knowledge of plant life.” 

“Then botany is what you should study, and if 
you are certain nothing else can bring you the 
same pleasure, why I earnestly commend it to you, 
and would advise you to give up any other plane 


10 The Seal of Destiny. 

you may have made, in pursuance of this. Have 
you studied botany?” he asked, looking down on 
her golden brown hair over which the soft rays 
of the sinking sun were casting a beautiful sheen. 

“Not from books. I have never read anything 
on the subject, but I wish I might, it would be a 
great help to me.” 

“When did you first become interested in the 
study?” Mr. Wilson asked. 

“I cannot remember, it has fascinated me al- 
ways. Among the first things that aroused my 
childish curiosity were two plants of the same 
family, which produced different colored blossoms 
and also different shades. My first attempt to 
study nature was when about five years of age. 

“I had planted some aster seeds, and was de- 
lighted to see when they put their tender green 
shoots through the ground that they were all alike, 
but was nonplused when they commenced to bloom, 
to see the blossoms ranged from a deep purple to 
a delicate lavender. Reasoning that lack of 
strength caused the paler blossoms, I gave them 
all the care, but found that with my labor they 
still remained the same. From then until now, 
all my spare time has been given to this one pur- 
suit.” 

“I should advise you to continue it,” Mr. Wil- 
son said, “and I will see that you get some books 
to help you. I think there are some in my father’s 
library.” 


The Seal of Destiny. 


11 


CHAPTER III. 


For four successive summers Alta cultivated the 
plant grown from the seed found in the rice. Un- 
tiringly she had tended it from season to season, 
and as she saw it each succeeding year grow 
stronger and more compact she was well rewarded 
for her trouble. Thinking that possibly she was 
the first to cultivate this small species from na- 
ture’s garden, she was pleased that she had taken 
an humble and unnamed weed, unknown, perhaps, 
except to the rice growers by whom most likely it 
was considered a nuisance, and brought it by in- 
dustry and faithful attention to a state of perfec- 
tion. She loved to think of how it must have ap- 
peared in its native wild, all tangled with grass 
and other weeds. Admiring the plant with its 
fern-like leaves and delicate pink blossoms, Alta 
fondly imagined it was mutely bowing its thanks 
to its rescuer as it gently swayed in the summer 
breeze. 

Reading an agricultural journal, Alta found 
the advertisement of a florist who offered a prize 
of fifty dollars for the best novelty, in the way of 
a flower, that might be sent in by amateur gar- 
deners. At once her rice flower, as she called her 


12 The Seal of Destiny. 

plant, came to mind, and she decided to forward 
it immediately to the florist. With Herbert’s help 
she carefully crated it, that in transportation it 
might not get broken. 

Mr. Townsley had been saying that if it was 
possible he intended to move in the late autumn. 
With this object in view he saved every dollar he 
could spare from their immediate needs, hoping to 
get enough to buy a team and wagon, as he wanted 
to move by vehicle. Every time he mentioned it 
in his daughter’s presence, she hoped that she 
might be the lucky one to draw the prize. All 
she had heard from her beloved flower since send- 
ing it away, was the acknowledgment from the 
nurseryman of its safe arrival. 

The hot tiresome summer was gone and the 
golden days of autumn with their cool nights and 
refreshing breezes, were gently approaching. 

One day when returning with her sister from 
a ramble in the woods, a letter was handed to Alta 
by her brother who had brought it from the office. 
Knowing by the post-mark that it was from the 
florist who had her plant, her heart beat rapidly 
but with her usual dignity she went into an ad- 
joining room to read it. She had weeks since 
given up the hope of hearing favorably from it, 
therefore was unprepared for the happy result, 
the pleasure of which was half spoiled by the fear 
of how her father, with his peculiar way of accept- 
ing things from his children, would receive her 
explanation of the transaction. And with a nerv- 
ous dread of trying to explain it, she decided to 
ask Herbert to help her. 

A few days previous to their starting on their 


13 


The Seal of Destiny. 

journey southward, Mr. Wilson called to bid 
Alta good-by. He was now through his school 
days, had been admitted to the bar, and had taken 
up his practice in the capital of the state. 

“In searching through a second-hand book store, 
I came across a copy of ‘Gray’s School and Field 
Botany/ and also a copy of ‘How Plants Grow/ by 
the same author, and knowing your inability to 
secure such works, I have brought them to you/’ 
Mr. Wilson explained as he handed a parcel to 
Alta. Had the young man searched from one end 
of the state to the other he would have found 
nothing that could have been so useful and pleased 
her so much as these two well thumbed books treat- 
ing of the subject that lay nearest her heart. 

Thanking him in her sincere way, as she ac- 
cepted this token of his thoughtfulness, she said, 
“I shall never take a lesson from these books with- 
out remembering the giver, and I hope if some day 
we should meet again, I may prove to you the good 
use I have made of them.” 

Some way her words “if we should meet again” 
seemed to send a pain through his heart. She had 
always interested him and on his annual trips to 
his father’s farm he had never failed to call upon 
her and had always enjoyed the visits. 

On taking his leave, Mr. Wilson extended his 
hand to Alta and said, in his pleasant way, “I 
sincerely hope, and firmly believe, Miss Townsley, 
that you will be successful in your chosen profes- 
sion, and will be rewarded for your hard applica- 
tion to study and diligent inquiry by being before 
many years a recognized authority upon the science 
of botany.” 


14 The Seal of Destiny. 

“Should success crown my efforts, I shall al- 
ways remember you as being the first to encourage 
me in my work, and for the interest you have shown 
in me, you shall always have my deepest gratitude 
and heartiest thanks.” Alta spoke earnestly, look- 
ing straight into the eyes of her companion, and 
he returning the look, stood for a moment lost in 
admiration of the pure soul, the inner life, of a 
noble woman which shone out through those dark 
blue orbs. “She will succeed in anything she un- 
dertakes,” he thought as he turned away. 

After traveling for three or four weeks, by vehi- 
cle, in a southwesterly direction, Mr. Townsley de- 
cided that as the season for planting was advanc- 
ing, he would stop, rent a few acres and remain in 
the Ozark Mountains until the following autumn, 
when he should resume his journey to Texas, this 
state with its rich soil and miles of unclaimed land 
having always been his mecca. 

The novelty of the situation was pleasing to 
Alta, who enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and was 
delighted to hear her father say he would spend 
the summer there. 

No hills surpass in beauty those of the Ozark 
range, and the rugged grandeur of this picturesque 
chain was a never ending source of pleasure to the 
young girl, who saw that here she would have a 
new field in which to pursue her studies. 

Their new home was like all others in that 
part of the country, a cabin sixteen by eighteen 
feet, built of unhewn logs, notched at the corners 
to make them lie closer together. The spaces be- 
tween called chinks by the natives, were filled with 
clay to keep out the cold, while the roof was made 


15 


The Seal of Destiny. 

of clapboards, as were also the doors. Windows 
there were none, as the mountaineer had never dis- 
covered the need of them; therefore, the doors of 
these rude cabins were constantly swung open 
to admit the light. 

Perhaps the reason that artists and poets have 
given so little of their time and talent to these 
immense uplifts, called by the red men, Ozarks, is 
due to the fact of the great inconvenience of reach- 
ing any of the centrally located spots. 

Occasionally, however, an artist finds his way 
into the heart of the range and is well repaid 
for his trouble. 

The first person to meet the Townsleys was a 
young landscape painter from St. Louis, whose 
name was Arthur McLenden. While few from the 
outside world have intruded in this quiet retreat 
of the mountaineer, he has made still less effort 
to communicate with the world at large. These 
people have lived there, buried from civilization, 
for generations. The old men told most thrilling 
tales of fox hunting, bear trapping and panther 
chasing, which their grandfathers and great-grand- 
fathers had gloried in. 

Hunting was still the midsummer pastime of 
the native, and after his few acres of cotton, and 
fewer of corn were laid by and a little patch of 
potatoes was planted and left to nature to raise, 
the drowsy oxen were turned out to graze on the 
hillside at their leisure, and the clumsy home man- 
ufactured plow was left in the fence corner to 
rust and decay, the farmer deeming it easier to 
construct another on the same plan, than care for 
the one he had, through the winter. These plows 


16 The Seal of Destiny. 

were made by cutting down a tree, and after mak- 
ing it the proper length, two holes were bored near 
one end into which to insert the handles, which 
nature always kindly provided either in curved 
limbs or bent grape-vines. A smaller tree or 
branch was used for the upright, and by screwing 
the rusty share to this the work was done, and a 
farming implement was completed which would 
help him through the season's work. Then the 
mountaineer may take his gun from the antlers 
above his cabin door, and go forth to his one diver- 
sion, the only pastime known to him, that of 
proving his lordship over creation by hunting to 
its lair the wild beasts of the forest, or entrapping 
the timid deer by a generous supply of salt, sprin- 
kled near their haunts. As he has never seen the 
use of education, the mountaineer, to use his ex- 
pression, u is going to waste no time over book learn- 
ing.” Therefore the Townsleys found themselves 
located among a people crude in the extreme, and 
a 8 Alta expressed it, “only one degree removed 
from heathendom.” 

The church in which these illiterate people 
worship is built as their dwellings. The immense 
fireplace, made of sticks plastered together with 
mud, and lined with the same material, is always 
an addition to both dwelling and church. The 
seats in these houses of worship are logs split 
into halves, smoothed somewhat and the ends 
laid on large stones brought in from the hill- 
side. The pulpit is simply a space in one side 
of the room, and the bible-rest is a home-made 
chair, which has to also accommodate the minister. 
If from among the inhabitants, some man thinks 


17 


The Seal of Destiny. 

he has been called to preach the gospel and is 
able to explain to his listeners in a lingual, which 
none but they can understand, how they should 
live if they hope to enter a better world, he is 
looked up to as far superior to common people, al- 
though he stands before them dressed in his home- 
spun jeans, coarse shirt and heavy brogans. While 
his education is limited, he can read some, but 
it is with great difficulty that he studies out a few 
texts to use as foundations for his sermons. 

The artist, Mr. McLenden, soon became a weekly 
visitor at the Townsley home. Having no other 
associates he appreciated the privilege of having 
some one of intelligence to talk to, and liked the 
family Ignoring the question of their social 
standing, which would have meant so much in his 
city home, he was now frequently accepting their 
hospitality. While if for a moment he allowed the 
thought of their different positions in life to enter 
his head, he immediately reproached himself for 
it, and felt that he had done the family an injustice 
by thinking them beneath him, simply because 
they had not as much money as he, and he in- 
variably finished by saying, “Alta Townsley has 
as much common sense as any girl of my acquaint- 
ance, it matters not what position she may hold 
in society.” 

Soon after settling in the mountains, Alta dis- 
covered a small ravine enclosed by a fringe of low 
trees, and carpeted with grass, kept green by the 
dampness from a spring which bubbled up in one 
corner, starting a small stream that ran down the 
slope, dividing off a portion of the glen in which 
grew a gnarled cedar, that had by some obstruc- 


18 The Seal of Destiny. 

tion in its youth been forced to bend its trunk 
just above the ground, and this bend made a com- 
fortable seat. 

This shady retreat Alta used from the first as 
her sanctum, and to it she resorted when wishing 
to be alone, and there she went to offer up her 
prayers and sing her songs of praise. Her simple 
faith in her Savior led her to think of dedicating 
this pretty vale to a religious use, believing as 
firmly that this consecration was acceptable to 
the Lord as she believed in His divine presence 
when she called upon Him in prayer. This spot, 
which a few months afterwards was the one 
wherein she pronounced the most solemn vows of 
her life, Alta called the Cathedral and the christen- 
ing she conducted in her own peculiar way. When 
the wild grapes which grew in abundance over 
the hills were ripe she gathered a quantity and 
pressing the juice from them made a cup of wine, 
this she took to the Cathedral and after offering up 
a prayer, asking her Lord to aid her in her effort 
to keep the glen a holy place she sprinkled the wine 
over the grass, saying as she did so, “To Thee, 0 
Lord, do I dedicate this small corner of the earth,” 
then vowing to keep the place sacred, she closed 
by singing an appropriate hymn. 

After this, Alta never approached the little 
glen without a feeling of awe, nor could she ever 
quite make up her mind to let others know of 
this, to her, sacred place, lest they profane it by 
using it for a pleasure ground, knowing that they 
would not understand her sentiment toward it, 
although afterwards she made an exception to 


The Seal of Destiny. 10 

this, when Herbert told her of his intention to 
study for the ministry. 

Taking him to the Cathedral she told him of 
the consecration and gave him the privilege of 
using it as a place of study and prayer. 


20 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER IV. 

Autumn in the Ozarks was the season both 
Alta and Mr. McLenden enjoyed most. The 
scenery was beautiful, and the mountains wreathed 
in purple haze, the yellowish-brown of the grain, 
intermingled with the green and white of the cot- 
ton fields, and the sparkling brook which tumbled 
over the stones on its way down the valley, made 
many interesting subjects for the enthusiastic 
artist. 

Mr. McLenden had not known Mr. Townsley’s 
family long until he felt as much at home near 
their cabin hearth as in the log house where he 
kept bachelor’s hall. 

Each week there was a decrease in the number 
of his drawings, and one day when attempting to 
sketch a great bowlder and its reflection in a pool, 
near which grew a bunch of marshmallow, he 
found it necessary to erase it several times. Then 
still not satisfied with it he impatiently exclaimed, 
“I do not understand myself of late. It seems 
impossible for me to keep my mind on my work 
enough to do it well. I am afraid I am losing 
interest in my art, and what would Alta think 
of me, should she find it out. 

“Here I am inclined to think is where the trou- 


21 


The Seal of Destiny. 

ble lies. I am spending too much of my time 
with Miss Townsley and I must stay away from 
there, or instead of going every day, shall call on 
her only once a week.” 

Looking up from his work the young artist 
saw the sun was sinking behind Mount Wahoo, the 
highest point of the range. 

“I shall be late getting home,” he said, folding 
his easel and sketching stool. “I am afraid I 
have wasted this afternoon, by giving more time 
to the wild-flowers than I have to the more prom- 
inent objects in my sketch.” An excuse which he 
knew was not true, and picking up his outfit, he 
again said, “I must manage to keep my thoughts 
away from Miss Townley and concentrate them on 
my work.” 

But how long did this resolve not to see Alta 
last? Only just till he reached the point where 
the road divided, one branch leading to his own 
cabin, the other toward the Townsley home. This 
last one, after a moment’s hesitation, was the one 
he chose. Arriving there he saw Alta in the yard 
and went directly to her. 

The object of his thoughts was looking unusu- 
ally attractive in her simple lawn dress with a 
bunch of wild flowers at her waist. Just then 
she was busily engaged placing some ferns in the 
damp earth near a spring. 

"May I ask,” he said, after his greeting, "why 
you are so carefully arranging those ferns?” He 
had stood for a moment disliking to disturb her. 

"I do not know whether you are aware that 
I am a student of botany? And these ferns I 
have just brought in from the woods, and wish 


22 The Seal of Destiny. 

to keep fresh all night that I may take a lesson 
from them to-morrow. Just now I must go in 
and help mamma. Will you not stay and have 
tea with us?” 

Too much surprised at the first remark to no- 
tice the invitation to supper, Mr. McLenden said, 
"I am surprised to learn that you are interested 
in botany. Will you make a profession of it?” 

“I expect to devote all my life to it,” and there 
was so much earnestness in her voice that the 
young man looked at her in wonder, and impressed 
by her seriousness he knew that what she said, 
she meant. 

“If she is thinking of becoming a professional 
woman it is not probable she will care to marry,” 
Mr. McLenden said, and the thought disquieted 
him, and every time during the evening that Alta 
caught his glance she noticed how grave he looked 
and wondered if he was not feeling well. 

As the disheartened lover walked homeward 
through the lonely country road, he vowed he 
would never go to see Alta again, and to excuse 
himself for this harsh decision against the gentle 
girl he said, “She does not care any more for 
me than she does for the most ignorant youth 
who inhabits these regions and I should not be 
forcing my company upon her, and besides I am 

wasting ail my time from my work or No, 

I can’t say that either,” he hastily corrected him- 
self. “For time spent in her company is never 
wasted.” 

This vow was kept better than the one made 
earlier in the afternoon, for it lasted four days. 
Then yielding to an uncontrollable longing to see 


23 


The Seal of Destiny. 

his beloved, Mr. McLenden broke his word, and 
was soon on the way to Alta’s home. Reaching 
there he was told by Winifred that her sister had 
gone up on the mountain to gather some plants. 

After walking for some distance, he was about 
to turn back, thinking that he must have missed 
the one he sought, when coming around a large 
rock he saw the well-known form busily engaged 
uprooting some wild anemone. “Alta, my child, 1 
was frightened lest something terrible had hap- 
pened to you,” he said. “Do you know that you 
are more than a mile from home. And there 
are wild beasts, even panthers in the woods. Are 
you in the habit of taking such rambles?” 

“I suppose I do not get so far from home though 
I am about over the hills every day,” Alta an- 
swered, speaking short. Her lover had spoken 
very sternly and she was grieved that he should 
scold her when she had not meant to get so far 
away. Seeing her injured expression the young 
man grew repentant and in his usual kind way 
said: 

“I am sorry I scolded you, my dear, but I was 
worried about you. Now will you make me a 
promise, Alta? I have never asked you for one, 
and I hope you will grant me this.” 

“What is it?” she asked. 

“Will you promise me that you will not again 
go so far away alone?” But before she answered, 
she paused to listen, for she thought she heard 
distant thunder. 

“Oh, Mr. McLenden, let us hurry home, for it 
is going to rain,” the frightened girl now ex- 
claimed, “and we may get caught in it.” 


24 The Seal of Destiny. 

"Well, you have not made me the promise yet,” 
he answered coolly. 

"But I do not wish to make the promise, and 
if you will not come with me, I shall go home 
alone,” Alta returned, turning to start. 

"No, you shall not,” the determined lover said, 
putting out his hand to hold her back. Then 
seeing there was no chance to get away, and fear- 
ing the storm might overtake them she begged to 
be taken home. But determined to not yield, Mr. 
McLenden said, "There is no use in your wasting 
your time begging, Alta, for until you make me 
the promise I shall keep you right here.” The 
lover was persistent, but he had his reasons, for 
he knew it was unsafe for Alta to be roving 
through the forests alone. He knew also, that 
once she made the promise she would keep it. 

While her reason for not granting his request 
was that she had discovered some strange plants, 
which she wished to some day get specimens of, to 
take a lesson from, and besides she was provoked 
with him for detaining and exacting a promise 
from her, when he had no authority over her. 
After waiting a few moments to see if she would 
yield, Mr. McLenden said very sharply, "I am 
surprised, Miss Townsley, that you should be so 
obstinate when it is for your own safety I wish 
you to make the promise. And I will ask you once 
more, will you make me the promise?” 

"Yes,” she said hotly. "I will make the promise 
on this condition: that you will come here with 
me some day to gather some plants which I found 
this afternoon.” 

"Certainly, I shall be glad of the privilege,” he 


25 


The Seal of Destiny. 

said, and taking her arm continued, “Come now, 
let us hurry home, before it rains.” Petulantly 
she slipped her arm from his, but ignoring the act, 
he at once took it again and hurried her along. 

They had gone some distance over the rough 
country road and neither had spoken as neither 
was in a pleasant humor, when the young man 
stopped suddenly, saying, “I am afraid we are on 
the wrong road, Miss Townsley.” 

“No, we are not,” Alta answered speaking cross- 
ly, for she was still in a mood. 

“Are you sure we are not?” he asked. 

“Yes, I am certain of it.” But still not satis- 
fied, Mr. McLenden turned and looked about them, 
then said, “What makes you feel so positive about 
it?” 

“Because nothing looks strange as it would had 
I not been here before.” 

“And does anything look familiar?” he asked, 
still in doubt. 

“I cannot say that it does,” the girl replied. 

“I suppose the only thing to do is to go on,” 
the artist said, “for if we turn back we shall only 
confuse ourselves and be worse off.” So they 
traveled on for a half mile farther, when looking 
about, Mr. McLenden discovered a cabin away up 
on the mountain side, which was nearly hidden 
from view by the dense undergrowth, and only 
for the smoke rising from the chimney they would 
not have seen it. 

As the thunder was sounding nearer, her escort 
suggested that they had best make for it, as the 
smoke was proof that it was there. After looking 
about for several moments, in all of which they 


26 The Seal of Destiny. 

realized the storm was gaining upon them, the 
wanderers found a path which showed it was but 
little used, yet it was a welcome find. 

“You will be very tired before we reach that 
cabin, for this path seems to lead as straight up 
as if it went to the clouds, ” Mr. McLenden said, 
looking with sympathy upon his companion, whom 
he saw was fatigued before they were half way 
up. 

“I think it does lead to the clouds, judging from 
the way yonder threatening ones hang low over the 
farther end of it,” Alta answered. 

Coming around a patch of hazel-brush, they 
found themselves inside the enclosure. To cross 
the yard and rap at the door took but a moment, 
hut while awaiting admittance, they expected to 
feel the threatened down-pour upon their unpro- 
tected heads. All was silence for a few seconds, 
then the door was thrown open with force, and the 
weary travelers were startled by the looks of the 
figure which stood before them. Tall and gaunt 
with long, white, unkempt hair flowing about her 
shoulders, the woman who in hollow tones bid 
them, “Come in,” was anything but inviting in 
appearance. Alta’s first impulse was to run away 
and face the storm rather than enter, but surmis- 
ing her thoughts and his own heart fluttering as 
the lightning played about them and the thunder 
came in more deafening peals, Mr. McLenden 
thought to enter was the safest course and taking 
Alta by the arm, stepped inside, making some 
casual remark to the woman, who without answer- 
ing, pointed to the remains of a chair. This piece 
of a seat the artist handed to Alta, then resting 


27 


The Seal of Destiny, 

his elbow against the chimney- jamb, proceeded to 
take an inventory of the room and its strange occu- 
pant, who apparently had forgotten the presence of 
her visitors as she heaped more fuel on the fire, 
causing it to leap into bright flames which to the 
nervous refugees only made the interior of the 
strange abode more weird and unearthly. 

The shadow, taller even than the form of the 
lank woman moving about the room in a restless, 
unsettled way, caused Alta’s heart to beat wildly. 
Try as she might to keep her eyes on the fire, which 
seemed to her, the only natural thing in the place, 
she invariably found after a few seconds, that 
they were again following the seemingly super- 
natural shadow in all its strange movements, 
caused partly by the flickering blaze and partly by 
the motions of the old woman, and ever and anon, 
as the shadow of a bony arm would lengthen and 
extend around the side wall in her direction, she 
would close her eyes, but only to open them quickly 
and watch again with strange fascination the weird 
shadow, always dodging when it came her way. 

Outside the storm was raging as only mountain 
storms can, and increasing in violence every mo- 
ment. 

Starting suddenly, Alta looked appealingly at 
her companion and faintly whispered: 

“Why do you not speak to her, and see if she 
can talk?” 

Mr. McLenden, who had been intently watching 
the tall figure, turned nervously toward the fire 
for a moment, then toward his queer hostess and 
asked with a tremor in his voice, “Are you not 
afraid in such storms as this, living so far up 


28 


The Seal of Destiny. 

on the mountain and alone?” With the last part 
of the speech he lowered his voice, for he was not 
sure whether she lived alone or not. 

Turning her gray eyes sharply upon the speaker, 
the woman said in a shrill voice made shriller in 
her effort to be heard above the roar of the storm : 

“Afraid! What have I to be afraid of, when 
the whole community is afraid of me?” 

“It was not of your neighbors I was speaking, 
but of the fury of the elements,” he said. 

“The elements, and why the elements?” she 
fairly shrieked, “when I have only to say the word 
and the storm will instantly cease, or to command 
more fury upon us, and the stupendousness of the 
tempest will be beyond your inferior conception.” 

“She is crazy, is she not?” Alta asked, rising 
from her uncomfortable seat and standing close to 
her companion, who, seeing how frightened she 
was, put himself between her and the demented 
woman. 

“Well, it is nice to thus be able to control the 
elements, but how do you pass the time away ? Do 
you read, write or sew ?” Mr. McLenden asked. 

“I have read a great deal in the past years.” 

This answer was made with such intelligence 
that both the visitors were surprised. 

“Have you books? if not, perhaps I could send 
you some ; religious works, I presume, would inter- 
est you,” Mr. McLenden said, but was interrupted 
by the insane woman saying, “Such books would 
never find a place on my shelves.” Then growing 
vehement, she stamped her foot and said, “Ho 
sooner would such works be unpacked than they 
would be flung to yonder flames, and while their 


29 


The Seal of Destiny. 

burning pages illuminated the room, I would 
dance, — I would dance, I say, and this is the way 
I would dance/’ she fairly screamed, and holding 
her skirts to such height as to show her feet and 
ankles, which were bare, she commenced a strange 
gyration, made more grotesque and wild by the 
yellow light of the fire. 

Thoroughly frightened, Alta clutched Mr. Mc- 
Lenden’s arm. “Let us run away,” she said, “I 
am afraid to stay longer but just then the dancer 
stopped, and coming up to the young man, looked 
sharply with wild gray eyes into his, and with a 
voice that was a hiss, said : 

“I have read the Bible, the works of Bunyan 
and Josephus and many other like eminent au- 
thors, and it has always been my opinion that the 
world would be better had such books never been 
published. Such works as the Bible and the Til- 
grim’s Progress’ are only fit to 1 indie fires with.” 

When she had started toward her visitors Mr. 
McLenden had taken Alta in his arms, for he felt 
the time had come when he must protect her even 
at the sacrifice of his own life, and he whispered 
hoarsely, “Don’t fear her, Alta, I will not let her 
hurt you.” 

The insane woman’s temper was increasing and 
the longer she spoke the angrier she grew, till Mr. 
McLenden shrank from the glitter of her fierce 
eyes, which she kept fixed upon his with seeming 
hatred, while he felt her hot breath upon his cheek. 

“There is another book,” she continued, “which 
would make a fine blaze, and that is ‘Dante’s In- 
ferno.’ The poor devil, I hope he has had enough 
of his inferno by this time.” 


39 The Seal of Destiny. 

The demented one was growing worse and more 
dangerous. Her cracked voice was raised to the 
highest pitch, and so wildly was she gesticulating, 
that Mr. McLenden thought of taking Alta out to 
brave the storm rather than remain longer inside, 
where the very demons seemed to possess the old 
woman. 

Suddenly there was a tremendous clap of thun- 
der and a more vivid flash of lightning than any 
yet. The very earth seemed to tremble and large 
rocks that had lain unmoved for centuries were 
torn from their resting place and hurled to the val- 
ley beneath, while trees were rent asunder and the 
wild beasts were laid low. 

There was left but one choice, to remain in their 
dangerous quarters or go forth to almost certain 
destruction, while they momentarily expected the 
cabin with its human freight to be torn to pieces 
by the electricity or lifted bodily by the wind from 
its foundation and sent whirling down the moun- 
tain side. 

With this last terrific peal of thunder, Alta, 
pressing closer to her lover, whispered, “Do you 
suppose she can increase the storm at her will? ,, 
And in his highly wrought nervous state he an- 
swered, “It looks as if she had.” 

The insane woman, with flashing eyes, took a 
step toward Mr. McLenden, pulling her sleeves 
above her elbows and exposing her scrawny arms, 
as she did so, saying, “You do not need to hold the 
lady in your arms, for if I want to destroy her I 
will do so in spite of fate, and you will be power- 
less to save her.” 

This furious announcement threw the girl into a 


31 


The Seal of Destiny. 

convulsion of fright and her would-be-protector 
was afraid she would swoon. He pressed his chin 
to the top of her head and held her firm to stay 
her terrible agitation. The mad woman after a 
slight pause began to jump up and down and 
scream, “Your arms are no protection to her, for 
if I wish to I can take her away from you and 
destroy her. How are you to help it?” Looking 
appealingly up into her lover’s face, Alta with lips 
speechless from fright, asked but one question, and 
asked it with her eyes, and interpreting aright the 
pleading expression, Air. McLenden answered : 

“I shall not allow her to touch you, dear, or take 
you from me, unless she first disposes of me, and 
she can hardly do that.” 

After what seemed ages to the terror-stricken 
refugees the storm showed signs of abating as did 
also the temper of their hostess, and while the rain 
was still falling they thought to take their depar- 
ture. 

Far away over the distant mountains they could 
hear the grand rolling of the orchestra of the 
heavens as it reverberated from hill to hill in a 
magnificent refrain according sweetly with the 
melodious murmuring of the mountain brook 
which sang in minor chords the gentle, though sad, 
requiem that nature demands shall be given over 
her noble dead, the trees, which unable to with- 
stand the tempest lay strewn about the hillside. 

The sounds produced by the various conditions 
of nature always had a charm for Alta. The 
sough of the wind through the tops of the stately 
pines, the rippling brook dashing over the peb- 
bles, the rumbling waterfall striking the rock be- 


32 


The Seal of Destiny. 

neath and the soothing murmur of the gentle rain, 
all made to her poetic senses, pleasing melody, and 
stopping to enjoy it, she would lose herself in 
reverie. But her terrible experience in the abode 
of the insane destroyed this enjoyment, and for 
years after these sounds brought to her a shudder 
and a nervous dread. 

“I think we would better start for home,” Mr. 
McLenden said to the hostess, who was now resting 
and appeared very exhausted. 

“Why, my son, it is still raining, and I would 
not think of allowing you to take the lady out yet. 
She will surely take a cold and probably be ill 
from it,” the woman replied. 

“Do not listen to her, but take me away,” Alta 
whispered, clinging to her companion’s arm and 
beginning to tremble. 

Eager to get away, Mr. McLenden answered, 
“I see it is still raining some, but I think we had 
better take our chances of taking colds rather than 
be trying to find our way home over nature’s debris 
after dark.” 

As they passed out at the door, the insane wo- 
man, now the agreeable and pleasant hostess, said 
as she extended her hand and cordially pressed each 
of theirs in turn, “I hope you are not starting out 
too soon, but you know best the distance you have 
to go, otherwise I should insist upon your remain- 
ing awhile.” 

Out of sight of the cabin Alta and her escort 
each drew a deep breath, the first since entering 
there. A distance from the place Alta stopped and 
confronting the astonished young man, said : 

“Mr. McLenden, was it a woman or a demon?” 


33 


The Seal of Destiny. 

“A woman, though certainly a very insane one,” 
he answered, and this was all that was said for 
some time, when the young man broke the silence 
by saying: 

“We entered that place, Miss Townsley, not the 
best of friends, at least you were not feeling at all 
friendly toward me, because I had conquered you. 
How has this afternoon’s experience renewed the 
broken ties?” 

Blushing violently at the remembrance of hav- 
ing allowed this man, whom she had known but a 
few months, to hold her in his arms, Alta was 
strongly tempted to say “Ho, now that the friend- 
ship has been ruptured, it is perhaps better to let 
it remain so.” 

By treating him this way, she thought it would 
save her the embarrassment of seeing him as often 
as heretofore. Then remembering that only for 
her own willfulness they would not have lost their 
way, thus bringing about results that he felt im- 
pelled to protect her, and recalling how willing 
and determined he had been to shield her from 
danger, a great wave of appreciation swept over 
her and she was amazed at herself for being so un- 
grateful, even for a moment, as to think of deny- 
ing him her friendship, which she knew was a 
pleasure to him. 

“He will be going home to St. Louis soon,” she 
thought, “and then it is not likely I shall ever see 
him again.” 

Looking up into his eyes and forgetting for the 
moment her embarrassment, she said with her 
usual sweet dignity as she slipped her hand into 
his: 


34 The Seal of Destiny. 

“I am sorry that I for one moment had a bitter 
feeling toward you, and I now realize that you 
were in the right in insisting upon my making the 
promise, and so far as I am concerned the friend- 
ship shall flow on in even deeper channels than 
heretofore, and I want to thank you before we go 
farther for the effort you made to protect me from 
yonder fiend.” 

Then suddenly recollecting what it was she was 
thanking him for, her confusion was painful and 
withdrawing her hand from his, she dropped her 
eyes and tried to stammer an excuse which only 
made matters worse for her. But Mr. McLenden 
seeing her perplexity and understanding the cause 
of it, came gallantly to the rescue by speaking on 
a different subject. 

On the way, Alta stopped, staggered and would 
have fallen only that her companion caught her, 
and looking into her face, he was startled to see 
how white she was. 

“Alta,” he said, “are you ill ?” 

“No, but my strength is gone, and I can go no 
farther. You will have to go home and leave 
me.” Her voice sank- to a whisper, and her head 
drooped. 

“No, I shall not go home and leave you.” Catch- 
ing her up in his arms, he said, “I shall either stay 
here with you or carry you home.” 

“Help me to a log and let me rest awhile, then 
perhaps I can go on,” she asked of him. 

“Sit here and rest yourself by leaning against 
me, if you will,” Mr. McLenden said, placing her 
on a fallen tree. After a time feeling somewhat 
rested, she asked him to start again toward home 


35 


The Seal of Destiny. 

with her, saying, “We shall be till dark getting 
there and mamma will be worried about me.” 

If ever a man felt a sense of great relief it was 
Mr. McLenden when he handed Alta into her 
mother’s arms. Several times on the way he was 
compelled to let her rest, and to make matters 
worse and his anxiety greater, she had shown de- 
cided symptoms of a chill ; her teeth chattered and 
her hands were icy cold, and +he next morning for 
the first time in her life she found herself unable 
to rise, her prostration being due to the great 
shock her nervous system had received, and for 
the next two weeks she was forced to remain in bed 
from sheer exhaustion. 


36 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTEB Y. 

Forgetting his vow to only call upon Alta once 
or twice a week, that he would have more time to 
devote to his painting, Mr. McLenden had fallen 
back into the habit of going to her house every 
day. 

That her interest in him was only that of friend- 
ship he knew, and 'with a pain at his heart he 
noticed her indifference. So he decided to try to 
create a love for himself in her heart by no longer 
keeping the truth of his own love from her, and 
in thinking this acknowledgment would imbue her 
with a deeper interest in him the young man was 
right. 

With her natural kindness of heart Alta began 
to think very seriously of the artist after he con- 
fessed his love. 

“I am afraid his disposition and mine would 
clash when it should come to the question of who 
should rule, for he is inflexible when he thinks he 
is in the right, and. I do not like the idea of being 
ruled by anybody,” she said, one day when she had 
been giving him an unusual amount of her 
thoughts. 

About a month after her adventure with the in- 
sane woman, Alta was in the yard when Mr. Me- 


The Seal of Destiny. 37 

Lenden came up, and his first words were, “You 
could never guess where I am going to ask you to 
go with me, my dear.” 

‘ “I do not know, I am sure. For there are few 
places in these mountains where one can go.” 

“Then you will not try to guess ?” he said, look- 
ing fondly at her. 

“I had rather you would tell me.” 

“W ill you promise to come with me if I let you 
off without guessing?” 

“No,” she said smiling, “you exacted one prom- 
ise from me not long ago. Then you had the ad- 
vantage of me, but now I am at home, and how 
do I know but you are going to ask me to go to the 
crazy woman's house with you.” 

“That is exactly where I am going to ask you 
to go, if you feel equal to climbing the mountain 
to-day,” Mr. McLenden replied. 

This announcement startled Alta and straighten- 
ing up, she looked sharply at her lover to see if he 
was in earnest. 

“Yes, I mean it,” he said, interpreting the 
questioning look, “for I shall never be satisfied 
until I revisit that particular spot among these 
eternal hills and ascertain if all that seemingly 
transpired was reality or if our quarrel and the 
storm together had played havoc with our brains.” 

“Whether real or imaginary, I do not intend to 
investigate it, and the sooner the memory of that 
horrid old witch is erased from my mind the bet- 
ter pleased I shall be.” 

“Then you refuse to come with me ?” 

“Yes, I do, and I shall be vexed with you, if you 
insist upon going.” 


38 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Pleased with the interest she was dis- 
posed to show in him and being in a humor 
to tease, the lover said, “Have a care now, how 
you get provoked with me. For you tried that 
once before, and I found the easiest way to humble 
and bring you to repentance was to take you to 
visit the insane, and I may try the same cure 
again.” 

Provoked that he should laugh after humiliating 
her, Alta answered, “You would have a trial get- 
ting me there from here.” 

“That is so, for now that I recall it, you 
went of your own free will before. For when I 
expressed a fear that we were in the wrong road, 
you let me know that we were in the right.” 

Then seeing that she was not enjoying his teas- 
ing the young man said, “Well, good-by, dear.” 

Realizing that he was going, and remembering 
all that had occurred on that dreadful afternoon, 
Alta said, “Mr. McLenden, let me beg of you to 
not go. That horrid old thing might kill you. It 
would be just like her to do it.” And the trem- 
bling girl held on to his hand ; then as he pulled 
away from her she grasped his arm, saying, 
“Arthur, please promise me that you will not go to 
such a dangerous place.” 

It was the first time she had called him by his 
Christian name, and he was greatly pleased that 
she should, but more pleased that she was 
showing such keen interest in him, and for 
the pleasure of hearing her beg he still moved 
as if to go. Living over the horror of that time, 
the frantic girl threw her arms around him, say- 


The Seal of Destiny. 39 

ing, "If you insist upon being so foolisK I shall 
hold you, and shall not let you go / 5 

Feeling her arms about him and becoming aware 
of the terror in her voice, it suddenly came to 
Mr. McLenden that while he was teasing she was 
acutely suffering the agony of uncertainty. His 
soul going out to her in sympathy not unmixed 
with remorse for having gotten her wrought up to 
such a nervous state, he folded her to his heart 
and bending he tenderly almost reverently pressed 
one kiss upon her precious lips, then said, “If you 
will let me go, Alta, I will promise you to not go 
inside the cabin. May I go ? 55 With this she gave 
her consent. So the artist started on a ramble 
that was to eventually result in bringing to light 
buried facts concerning his own family. He had 
intended from the time of their adventure to go 
again and investigate things and had been waiting 
for Alta to get strong enough to accompany him. 

It had not occurred to him that the association 
of the place would keep the nervous girl away from 
that location. 

As Mr. McLenden disappeared, Herbert, who 
had been reading in the shade, came from his hid- 
ing-place, bent upon teasing his sister, who seeing 
the mischief in his eye, hoped to escape him. But 
catching her arm, he said, "Now, you did not run 
away from Mr. McLenden, and why should you 
run away from me. I thought from the way you 
held on to that artist that you never intended to let 
him out of your sight again, and I presume he had 
to promise to not be gone long to get away at all . 55 

"I hope sister is not thinking of marrying, for 


40 The Seal of Destiny. 

I want her always with me,” he thought, as she 
disappeared in the house. 

After Mr. McLenden had avowed his love for 
Alta she promised to consider it, and if possible re- 
ciprocate his feelings. 

The knowledge of being loved was a novelty, 
therefore rather pleasing to her, and for a few 
days after his passionate declaration that she was 
all the world to him, there was a lightness of 
heart, a certain elation of spirits which made her 
think she was happy. 

Allowing pride, generally held in check, a little 
more liberty than usual she thought of the posi- 
tion, as wife of this man, that would be hers. The 
fact that Mr. McLenden held a prominent place 
in society and also in the world of art was the in- 
centive to her considering his offer as seriously as 
she did. So when he called on her, she met him 
with a pleasant smile and a cordial grasp of the 
hand while she thought she was beginning to love 
him in a mild way. But after a fortnight of this 
rather pleasing sensation she found herself gradu- 
ally losing interest in the thought of the artist’s 
love. 

Although for a week or two longer she made an 
effort to regain the feeling of gladness that she 
had so easily let slip from her, it was in vain, and 
to be truthful to herself she was forced to admit 
that she had no love for the man who was so de- 
voted to her. Though she sincerely appreciated his 
friendship and hoped she might never lose it, 
five minutes afterwards she would be delving into 
the mysteries of plant life, while every thought of 
her hopeful lover had escaped her. And so for 


41 


The Seal of Destiny. 

weeks she would apply all her energy both mental 
and physical to the investigation of some plant 
which had claimed her attention, until noticing her 
indifference the lover would again press his suit, 
and with a thrill of pleasure she would again prom- 
ise to try to reciprocate his feelings. 

As a companion Alta enjoyed Mr. McLenden 
very much, and she often wished he would cease 
so persistently urging his suit and appreciate her 
as a friend only. This continued wooing was tire- 
some to her when she was trying so hard to ad- 
vance herself in her studies. Many times she 
would have refused to see him only for the fact 
that their cabin home containing but one room 
made this impossible and if she chanced to be in 
the woods when he called, why he knew all her 
favorite haunts and always searched until he found 
her. 

As Mr. McLenden intended to return to St. 
Louis in the autumn, Alta looked forward with 
pleasure rather than regret to the time of his de- 
parture. She had a strange foreboding that there 
was going to be trouble between herself and her 
father, and that her lover was going to be the cause 
of it. This disagreeable feeling she could not 
shake off, and she felt the relief would be great 
when she had bidden her friend a final farewell. 

At times her pensiveness worried the man who 
sought her society upon every occasion, his love 
causing him to notice all her changing moods. At 
such times he would say, “Alta dear, you must put 
down your studies and take a rest. You are tax- 
ing yourself beyond your strength.” 

And making him some pleasant answer, she 


42 The Seal of Destiny. 

would think she would have the rest after he had 
returned to his city home, and then reviewing all 
his kindness and expressions of love for her, she 
would reproach herself for being so unkind as to 
think so about him. 

Going slowly up the mountain path, that judg- 
ing from the way it was overgrown with grass, was 
but little used, Mr. McLenden began to think he 
must be on the wrong road and was about to turn 
back when to one side he saw a great bowlder cling- 
ing to the mountain side which looked familiar. 
Going across the vale to it he recognized it as one 
which he and Alta had climbed over when over- 
taken by the storm. Satisfied that he was not 
mistaken he returned to the path, thinking as he 
followed its queer meandering that it looked as if 
made by a crazy person. Coming from behind a 
bunch of bushes the young man was startled to 
find himself in the yard and directly in front of 
the open door of the cabin of the insane woman. 
Eager to see, but anxious not to be seen, his first 
move was to get back under cover of the bushes. 

Making his way around to the back of the 
premises he was again startled by emerging from 
the shrubbery directly upon the object of his curi- 
osity. With her back toward him she was working 
very industriously in her garden, stooping at times 
to pull out the weeds that grew too near the plants 
to be removed with a hoe. As he looked at her 
when she straightened herself for a moment’s rest 
there was something about the picture that at- 
tracted him greatly and he compared it to the one 
she made when she lifted her skirts and danced for 
him and Alta. In her well-kept garden were beds 


43 


The Seal of Destiny, 

of every domestic vegetable then in season, all free 
from weeds. Mr. McLenden compared this trim 
garden with the general run of ill-kept ones down 
in his neighborhood, when, lifting his eyes from the 
vegetables, he was amazed to see the worker had 
turned and was looking directly at him. His first 
impulse was to get away as quickly as possible, but 
remembering the fence was between them he de- 
cided to speak to her. “Good morning,” he said, 
“I was just admiring your garden,” Whereupon 
she greeted him pleasantly and asked him to come 
in and she would show him a spot that she was 
particularly proud of. After a moment’s hesita- 
tion Mr. McLenden jumped over the fence and ap- 
proached her, taking care, however, to keep beyond 
reach of the long handled hoe, for he thought how 
convenient it could be used as a weapon, should 
she become suddenly dangerous. 

“After all the time and labor I spend upon my 
garden I am pleased to have some one else notice 
it, and if you wish to please me more, you will 
stay and enjoy some of the vegetables cooked.” 
This unexpected invitation to stay to dinner sur- 
prised him so much that no excuse to decline came 
to mind.” 

“You must remain,” she continued, “for I am 
now going to gather some peas and then go in and 
get the dinner.” Her manner was so agreeable 
and she showed such pleasure at having some one 
to converse with that Mr. McLenden, seeing she 
had dropped the hoe, ventured nearer her and soon 
forgetting his fear he helped his hostess gather the 
peas. 

“My name is Miss Angerton,” she told him as 


44 


The Seal o? Destiny. 

they walked toward her cabin, “through childhood 
and youth I lived in St. Louis, but for the last 
several years I have been in my present home. 
Come around to the front of the house and 
have a seat in the shade, and I hope you will ad- 
mire my flowers as much as you do my garden, for 
I take great pride in them,” she said. 

When she said her name was Angerton it struck 
the artist as strange that away up here so nearly 
buried in the mountains he should meet one of his 
mother’s family name, who before her marriage, 
was a Miss Angerton, and his own full name was 
Arthur Angerton McLenden. He said nothing to 
his hostess about the coincidence, but he wondered 
if she might be a relative of his. 

On learning that her visitor was from St. Louis, 
her interest in him doubled. Sitting side by side 
in the shade, shelling the peas and conversing 
earnestly, an on-looker would have thought their 
acquaintanceship covered years instead of only an 
hour. 

While she entertained him with anecdotes and 
sketches of St. Louis and her early life Mr. Mc- 
Lenden could see back of the lines and other 
marks of suffering traces of refinement and intelli- 
gence, and he thought if she wanted to she could 
give to the world from which she had tried to bury 
herself some interesting personal history. 

While Miss Angerton was inside preparing the 
dinner, her visitor was sitting in the shade trying 
to devise some plan to get her to serve the meal 
out of doors. He felt certain she would be will- 
ing to do so through a desire to please her guest, 
if he could only think of some plausible reason for 


The Seal of Destiny. 45 

asking her to. “I promised Alta to not go into the 
cabin and should I break my pledge i could not 
expect her to trust me again, and she would be 
justified in not believing me. So I will manage 
somehow to have her bring the table out here,” 
and the next time she came in sight, he said, step- 
ping near the door, “Do you not think it would be 
pleasant, Miss Angerton, to have the dinner out 
here under the trees ?” 

“Yes, that would be nice,” she answered, “al- 
though I had not thought of it.” Then Mr. Me- 
Lenden walked down in the yard and made a 
pretense of very intently studying the flowers, lest 
she might ask him to carry the table out, and also 
so he would not appear rude for not offering to help 
when he saw her coming out with it. However, 
accustomed to helping herself, the hostess never 
thought of asking him to assist her. 

While at dinner Miss Angerton startled her 
guest by saying, “I wonder if you are the gentle- 
man who stopped in here with a lady recently, 
during a storm.” He had not intended to mention 
it, for he thought it might embarrass her, but now 
that she had spoken of it, there was no reason for 
denying it, so he answered, “I did.” 

“That was a dreadful storm,” she said. 

“It was fearful in the extreme,” he replied. 

“I presume I acted queer that afternoon. I 
generally do when the air is overcharged with elec- 
tricity. It is a derangement brought upon me by 
being the only witness to a dreadful event which 
took place during one of the worst storms known 
to history. And to this day, I can hardly have the 
courage to speak of it.” 


46 The Seal of Destiny. 

“Perhaps it is just as well that it should remain 
sacred to you alone, ” the young man answered sym- 
pathetically. 

It was quite late in the afternoon when Mr. Me- 
Lenden took his leave of his new-found friend, 
after promising upon her cordial invitation to call 
again soon and bring Alta, if she would come with 
him. 

The swallows were circling about overhead, 
sometimes curving gracefully to within a few feet 
of the earth when following an insect, and the other 
birds of various kinds were peacefully resting 
among the boughs when Mr. McLenden arrived at 
the Townley house. 

“I have been concerned about you,* Alta said, 
as she stepped out to meet him. 

“Well, my dear,” he answered, “I was nearly 
three hours trying to locate the spot where the 
cabin stood, and for that length of time I was 
searching around every bunch of shrubbery, peer- 
ing among the cedars, looking down ravines, climb- 
ing great bowlders and going entirely over the sum- 
mit of several of the hills, and when at last I 
found the place, I was just about to give it up 
and come back and tell you that after all it was 
only a trick of the imagination, and there was no 
cabin, no crazy woman, no demoniac dance or any- 
thing else, only two people who were very foolish 
to let their imagination run away with them to 
such an extent.” 

“But you surely were not going to tell me there 
was no storm/’ Alta said laughing. 

“Well, I do not know about the storm,” he an- 
swered, and then proceeded to tell the interested 


47 


The Seal of Destiny. 

girl all about his adventure, and before bidding 
her good night had exacted a promise from her to 
some time visit the place with him. “I believe you 
will like her,” he said, “for she is fond of flowers, 
and she has a great many.” 


48 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER VI. 

Years ago a wealthy man, who had enough sons 
and daughters to make a large family, lived in St. 
Louis. 

The eldest daughter was a great student, and 
after receiving her education from various seats 
of learning in this country she, still not satisfied, 
begged her father to let her go to Europe and 
there continue her studies, and indulging her in 
nearly everything, he granted her request, for he 
saw that hers was a wondrous intellect and he 
wished her to have a finished education. 

To Paris she went and there with other studies 
she took a complete course in art. For sculpture 
and painting she seemed especially talented and 
in course of time mastered both. Going from 
Paris, the city of art and assthetics, to Berlin, the 
city of music and philosophy, she graduated with 
high honors in the first, and there was laid the 
foundation of her peculiar theories pertaining to 
life as separate from the body. 

It was while there, that having access to the 
finest collection of works of science, philosophy and 
metaphysics in the world, and having the privilege 
of listening to lectures given at different times by 
thq greatest thinkers of the age, she first com- 


The Seal of Destiny. 49 

menced to delve into the mysteries and science of 
life, striving as many others have to get a mental 
vision through the veil that enshrouds the future. 

Returning after an absence of four j^ears, years 
in which no time had been wasted, she found her- 
self much sought. Being an interesting conversa- 
tionalist, a good pianist, a talented artist and a 
graceful dancer, she was in demand by social cir- 
cles of all classes. The gay, the grave, the lover 
of music, the admirer of art and those who wor- 
shipped at the shrine of knowledge were at her 
feet. 

At a social gathering she was introduced to a 
man who was a student and was president of an in- 
stitution of learning. This man was in his early 
forties, was handsome and of striking appearance, 
with an enviable position in the social world and 
a personality that won him many friends. He had 
not long known Miss Angerton until his interest 
in her was noticeable, so much so that her brothers 
and sisters joked her about him. 

Perhaps if they had been discreet, or had they 
been able to see that her proud and extraordinarily 
sensitive nature shrank from these unkind attacks, 
almost as she would from a sharp blow, they 
would have desisted, thus preventing the current 
from seeking other channels. However, they had 
their fun and their lifetime to regret it in. If 
they had been more thoughtful, then perhaps the 
young artist in the Ozarks would not have found 
the remnant of that blighted life, or would he have 
found it? One can only conjecture and wonder if 
these things are but the fulfillment of predestina- 
tion. 


50 The Seal of Destiny. 

Among Miss Angerton’s many acquaintances 
was a rising young barrister whom she had liked 
from the first. She believed she saw a bright fu- 
ture for him, and discovering that he was, like 
herself, a great lover of books, especially those per- 
taining to deep questions and problems hard to un- 
derstand, she realized there was great congeniality 
between them. 

Although at first very much pleased that the 
polished college president should show an interest 
in her, Miss Angerton, annoyed by the light and 
unfounded things said by other members of the 
family merely to tease her, grew shy, and com- 
menced to avoid him, frequently excusing herself 
when he called upon her. "It would be very easy 
for me to love this learned gentleman/’ she 
thought, "yet affairs of the heart should concern 
two only.” 

Therefore, embarrassed because they knew of 
her fondness for him she hoped to turn their atten- 
tion from herself by appearing indifferent toward 
him, a disposition at first forced, but which finally 
grew natural. 

The young lawyer’s position in society being 
not yet very prominent, although he came of re- 
spected parentage, Miss Angerton’s fun-loving 
brothers and sisters never thought of her caring 
aught for him except as a friend with whom she 
could discuss books. 

At first the scholarly young woman liked the 
law student, whose name was Van Heme, then as 
she grew to know him better, after having con- 
sidered him as one of her dearest friends for a 
few months, she awakened to a realization that she 


51 


The Seal of Destiny. 

loved him, and the happiest day of her life was the 
one when Mr. Van Herne made an avowal of his 
love for her and asked her to unite her life with 
his. 

Although not quite pleased with the idea of the 
marriage, her father admired the frank declara- 
tion of the love they bore each other when together 
they approached him on the subject. 

During the winter, Miss Angerton had several 
interviews with her parent whose only objection to 
the young lawyer was that he was not established 
in his profession, and therefore could not main- 
tain his daughter as she was accustomed to being 
cared for, and while he would not decidedly oppose 
the union, yet he would not s~eak the -word which 
he knew would make her supremely happy. Al- 
ways after one of these interviews, a foreboding 
would seize her that something was going to hap- 
pen to prevent her marriage from taking place. 
If at such times her lover would come in she would 
become cheerful and in the pleasure of his society 
forget the disagreeable intuition which otherwise 
would depress her for hours. 

One day, after an unusually long talk with her 
father she had gone out from his presence com- 
pletely discouraged, for he had been as unsatis- 
factory in his answers and just as inflexible as 
upon all previous occasions. Mr. Angerton’s in- 
tention was to postpone the issue for a few months 
longer, hoping by thus delaying, to cause a cooling 
in her affections for the young man. If, however, 
after awhile he saw she would not give him up, 
then he intended to seal her happiness by giving 


52 The Seal of Destiny. 

his consent and allowing her to have a fashionable 
wedding. 

Leaving her father she went out on the veranda 
and dropped languidly into a rocker while she list- 
lessly twirled the ring which her lover had put 
upon her finger, not as an engagement ring, but as 
emblematic of the boundlessness of his love for 
her. 

It was a beautiful spring day, at the season 
when all nature has put on her freshest robes, when 
birds are singing and doves are cooing, and every- 
thing is filled with joy. When youth and age alike 
have a longing to lay aside care and, seeking the 
woods, enjoy a ramble over hill and dale, but 
there was a closeness in the air, a lack of oxygen, 
often noticeable when the atmosphere is surcharged 
with electricity. 

“This office is too confining for me on such a 
glorious day as this,” Mr. Van Herne said, clos- 
ing the ledger he was looking through. Going 
past the livery stable the young man ordered his 
horse to be made ready while he waited. 

All the feeling of depression left Miss Anger- 
ton when she saw her lover driving up, and when 
he asked her to go with him to the woods, she grew 
light-hearted in anticipation of the pleasure she 
would get out of the remainder of the afternoon 
which was already far spent. Her father watch- 
ing her through the library window and seeing the 
happy expression upon her face said, “I do not 
believe she will ever give him up, but I shall wait 
awhile and see.” 

The young people drove for several miles 
through the forest and over the hills, and were 


53 


The Seal of Destiny. 

enjoying themselves as only youth can when blessed 
with health and freedom. They had noticed every- 
thing that came within sight, the squirrels frisk- 
ing from bough to bough, the birds in the trees, 
the crows on a bit of an old rail fence and the 
meadow lark as he rose from the field on graceful 
wing and disappeared beyond the treetops. 

Seeing that the sun was sinking over the curve 
of the earth, Miss Angerton suggested that they 
turn the horse homeward. “See that heavy bank 
of dangerous looking clouds off yonder to the 
south/' she said. 

“Yes, I see them now, although I had not be- 
fore/' Mr. Van Herne answered, as he hurried the 
horse, “and if the wind strikes them in a way to 
bring them over us we may get a drenching before 
reaching home ; however, I hope it does not." But 
in this he was disappointed, for in a few moments 
it was evident the clouds were rapidly rising. “We 
will drive as fast as possible and if overtaken per- 
haps we can find shelter in some old building by 
the wayside/' the young man said, then turning to 
his companion and looking anxiously in her face 
as he saw she was scanning the heavens he asked, 
“Do you feel afraid in storms ?" 

“Not — very," she answered, “only I should not 
like to get wet." 

The thunder at first so far away was sounding 
nearer and the lightning flashes were brighter, and 
they expected to feel the drops of rain upon them, 
when they saw some old buildings which stood in 
the edge of a field bat which were quite a distance 
from them. The clouds being so dense the night 
was setting in early, and it was now almost too 


54 The Seal of Destiny. 

dark to see an object smaller than a house, but as 
they drew up, the whole air was a continued blaze 
of electricity, while one sharp peal of thunder after 
another rent the heavens until seemingly the very 
earth shook in a spasm of fear. Springing out of 
the buggy, Mr. Van Herne lifted Miss Angerton 
out, saying as he did so, “Kun, quickly, into that 
barn, dear,” and turning, he took the bridle to lead 
the horse under a nearby shed that it might be out 
of the rain, which was now descending in torrents, 
and was within a step or two of the shelter when 
a terrific flash like a great tongue of fire, a dread- 
ful bolt that rent the earth, and both man and 
beast were laid low. The same bolt that had 
so unmercifully robbed her of all that made life 
worth living, stunned Miss Angerton also, but only 
slightly, and in a short time she recovered. As 
it was now so dark that to penetrate it with sight 
was impossible, she called her lover, but above the 
roar of the storm she could hear nothing that 
sounded like his voice in answer. Miss Angerton 
knew from the tingling sensation through her veins 
and the blank in her memory that she had received 
a shock, and with a dreadful fear filling her mind 
that something had happened to her lover, she 
groped her way about the room, enabled by the 
bright flashes of lightning to see where to find a 
window. Another vivid flash and she stood para- 
lyzed with horror, for she thought she saw a man’s 
form stretched upon the wet earth and near it that 
of a horse. The awful truth came upon her with 
such force that reason was dethroned and with a 
piercing shriek that reverberated through the 
empty barn the unfortunate one fell in a faint. 


55 


The Seal of Destiny. 

The force of the storm was spent, and the down- 
pour that had been a deluge was now a gentle 
shower. Then the prostrate woman was revived 
by the wind and rain which blew through the 
open window directly upon her face. Struggling 
to her feet she found the door and started in the 
direction her face happened to be turned, her move- 
ments being only the mechanical motions of the 
body ; the intellect was gone. 

For hours she wandered about, and the follow- 
ing morning was found lying against the fence 
some distance from the scene of the disaster, still 
unconscious and nearly drowned. 

Mr. Angerton’s agony of mind was pitiful. He 
was constantly in his daughter’s room as the weeks 
passed wearily, and the fever which seemed to be 
burning her life away showed no signs of abating. 
When at last the invalid was convalescent, his joy 
was short lived by the discovery that the once won- 
derful mind was a total wreck. 

The agonized parent spared no expense to see 
that she had the best medical attention, and in the 
autumn, as she was somewhat stronger, he took her 
and her two sisters abroad, where he placed her 
under the best specialists of the old world. 

The ocean voyage, the change of climate, scenery 
and faces, with the doctor’s assistance, made an ap- 
parent change for the better. After a few months 
in the south of Europe she one day amazed her sis- 
ter by asking a question, the first intelligent one 
in ten months: “Did he have a nice casket and 
did any of our people attend the funeral ?” Show- 
ing that the first ray of light which had penetrated 


56 The Seal of Destiny. 

the clouded brain had brought to memory a reali- 
zation of the fact that her lover was no more. 

After this, the patient improved slowly and 
steadily, and one day asked her father to take 
her home, as she was weary of traveling and 
wanted nothing so much as the quiet life she 
would find at home with her books. 

Mr. Angerton could never forgive himself for re- 
fusing to grant her the last request she had made of 
him, on that memorable day, when she had begged 
him to allow her to betroth herself to the man she 
loved. The great mental strain under which he 
had been so many months was passing off with his 
daughter’s recovery, but he found that his health 
was not what it had been a year previous, and one 
day, when during a terrible electric storm Miss 
Angerton was in the first paroxysm of insanity, 
the fond parent’s heart was almost broken, and 
when the physician, looking grave, said, “Try to 
always know where she is when you see a storm 
approaching,” he gave himself up to despair and 
his decline became very marked. 

He improved some when the daughter showed 
signs of returning health. Every one in the house- 
hold was happy to see that both of the invalids 
were gaining, when there came another storm and 
with it a return of insanity, even more violent 
than the first attack. 

Remorse indescribable was the portion of the 
man then and the cause of hurrying death to his 
relief. 

When the will was read there was a fortune 
for each of the heirs, and the request was entered 
in the document that one or the other of the sis- 


The Seal of Destiny. 57 

ters who were in health should always take care 
of the afflicted one. 

The years rolled by. One of the sisters married 
and went to live in Springfield, Missouri, and Miss 
Angerton went to share her new home with her. 
Twelve years later this sister died. She had been a 
widow for some time and this left the afflicted wo- 
man alone in that city and to escape the authori- 
ties w r ho wanted to confine her in an insane asylum 
she conceived the idea of going down into the 
mountains and living the life of a recluse. Her 
younger sister, Mrs. McLenden, mother of the 
artist, never knew where she had gone but always 
hoped some day to find her. She was a devoted 
daughter and could never forget her father’s dying 
request to care for her invalid sister. 

This was the story learned by Mr. McLenden 
from his aunt and from corresponding with his 
mother. 

The young man became greatly attached to his 
ne'w-found relative and soon became a weekly visi- 
tor at her cabin, where he found her always an 
interesting entertainer, and in course of time he 
arranged to take her home to St. Louis where she 
would be under the care of his mother for the re- 
mainder of her life. 


58 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER VII. 


After Alta’s first call, made with Mr. McLen- 
den, upon Miss Angerton, she overcame her nerv- 
our fear, and after a few visits she discovered in 
the lady many interesting traits and found in her 
that which she had for years longed for, an edu- 
cated, refined and congenial companion and one 
who could converse flu 



ject. Miss Angerton 


pearing now as on that first dreadful time, and the 
gray hair that was then flowing and gave her 
such a weird look was now worn neatly coiled while 
the front of it fell in natural ringlets about her 
brow. Her feet were dressed and her garments 
though plain, were always neat, and when she con- 
versed, the lines of the face softened, bringing 
forth features which showed traces of sorrow and 
suffering but also of great beauty and refinement. 

One day when speaking to Alta Miss Angerton 
said, “Do you believe in predestination?” Upon 
receiving the answer in the affirmative, she con- 
tinued, “And so do I, and I also believe that every 
true marriage is foreordained from eternity.” 
This statement surprised Alta, so much was it in 
accord with ideas that had lately been engendered 
in her own thoughts. 

“It is only of late I have begun to think of the 


59 


The Seal of Destiny. 

subject/’ she answered. “Should I, however, after 
looking into it with all the understanding of which 
I am capable, become convinced that these things 
are predestined, then I should have to be certain 
that the step I was taking was pleasing in the 
sight of God before I would pronounce the mar- 
riage vows.” 

“Then, my dear child,” her companion replied, 
“allow me, as a friend, to advise you to not let my 
nephew persuade you into a hasty union, for while 
we know that he loves you with all the strength 
of a very strong nature, the fact that you do not 
care for him convinces me that heaven is frowning 
upon his suit. This being the case he will in time 
discover his mistake and will realize that the love 
which he thought he was offering you was not 
that which is lasting. He may not understand 
why he was so mistaken, but I shall always believe 
that the love which burns for awhile and then 
flickers out, does so simply because it is not en- 
gendered by the Holy Creator, who directs all of 
our most important steps if we but listen to Him.” 

Alta was not aware that Miss Angerton knew of 
Mr. McLenden’s infatuation for her and blushed 
violently, but on second thought, knowing it was 
nothing to be ashamed of, said, “You think if 
God has put two people in this world intending 
their lives to become one, to every throb of the 
one heart the other gives a responding beat. If 
this be true, Mr. McLenden and I were never 
created for each other, for with all the quickened 
pulsation of his heart when in my presence, mine 
has never been able to give a single answering 
throb.” 


60 


The Seal of Destiny. 

"Yes,” Miss Anger ton answered, "when God 
brings two lives into this world meaning to com- 
plete the work in course of time by making of 
the two one, He has by His all-wise plans so con- 
structed them that the mental influence of the two 
upon each other is a force from which they have 
no desire to withdraw. These directing powers, 
which, for convenience, I might call mind waves, 
may at first pass back and forth so lightly between 
the two concerned, that neither notice them and it 
may be months or even years before they perceive 
them. There are, however, others with whom 
they vibrate with such force from the beginning, 
that there is no mistaking them. But, my dear, you 
must have a knowledge of metaphysics and psy- 
chology to understand these things, and see them 
as I do.” 

"According to this theory,” Alta said, "it would 
not be possible for one and not the other to realize 
this mental action.” 

"Ho, that would be impossible,” the elder woman 
replied, "for unless they are both conscious of it, 
the wave or current would be lost in transmission. 
It is simply the fact of mind working upon mind 
and being directed to thus work by the unseen 
influence about us, the Creator, the spirit which 
fills the universe. 

"There is another thing I believe as truly as 
I believe I am speaking to you, though I am 
not asking you to accept my theory, unless it suits 
you. Very few take my view of these things seri- 
ously. I believe the spirit is the soul and the soul 
is the mind and the mind is the intelligent part 
of man — the part that has power to comprehend, 


61 


The Seal of Destiny. 

to understand and accept. Furthermore, I believe 
that this invisible principle of humanity is life in 
this world and goes out when the body is no longer 
able to sustain it ; and this life, spirit, soul, mind, 
or call it by any name you choose, is the funda- 
mental part, the beginning, I might say of an 
eternal life, only when its progenitors have been 
predestined from eternity to become one. The 
two lives harmoniously blended by the solemniz- 
ing of the marriage in the courts above, and God's 
sanction upon it, are then capable of bringing 
forth a thing immortal that will eventually return 
to its Maker and become a part of the Divine Be- 
ing who gave it life back through the countless 
ages of eternity, when foreordaining the union 
of its earthly parentage whom He brought to- 
gether for the purpose of producing a soul. How, 
I have no soul. My life must go out as that of the 
dumb brutes, because I was brought into the world 
under exactly the same conditions, for my parents 
were never married. I do not mean that they did 
not have a wedding, for they did, and a grand 
affair it was, but it was only sanctioned by the 
laws of man. My father was wealthy and so also 
was my mother, and their parents, for the sake 
of uniting two large fortunes, forced them to 
marry, as marriage is understood by the majority 
of humanity. They never professed any love for 
each other, it was an understanding between them 
that they never should. In this their sense of honor 
ruled them, for they would not force upon the 
world a falsehood by making such a pretense." 

As Miss Angerton ceased speaking they were 
both surprised to see Mr. McLenden coming up the 


62 The Seal of Destiny. 

path. He had gone to see Alta and on learning 
of her whereabouts had started immediately for 
his aunt’s, thinking of the pleasure he would have 
in accompanying her home, as he wanted a private 
interview with her, for his stay among the hills 
would now be short. “I have been thinking, 
Alta,” the young man said, as they walked toward 
home, “that you should be in a class for the next 
year or two. It would be the means of graduat- 
ing you and thus sending you forth prepared to 
teach or write, or by some means turn your knowl- 
edge to profit. Do you not think so?” 

“Yes,” Alta answered, “I think to be under a 
good teacher and in a class of advanced pupils 
would be invaluable to me, but I cannot see any 
way I could get these advantages just now. If 
papa moves us on to Texas this fall as he expects 
to, I intend to make an effort to earn the money 
necessary to give me a finishing course.” 

“I think from now on, you should get your edu- 
cation in botany in the easiest way obtainable. It 
would save you so much wear on the nervous sys- 
tem and the exhaustion of the brain powers that 
so frequently follow close application to study. I 
do not quite like the way you look, dear ; you have 
a careworn, tired expression lately, and I wish you 
would grant me the request I am about to make, 
for there is nothing would give me greater pleasure 
than the privilege of taking entire charge of your 
future and seeing to it that nothing stands in the 
way of your becoming master of the science you 
love so much. What have you to say to the pro- 
posal ?” the lover asked, looking fondly down into 
her upturned face. “If you would only give me 


63 


The Seal of Destiny. ? 

the privilege/’ he continued, without waiting for 
an answer, “I would arrange, at once, to take you 
to St. Louis, and place you in a school there. And 
after leaving there, if you would only make up 
your mind to trust yourself to my keeping, 1 
would do everything in my power to make you 
happy. I asked your father some time ago if he 
objected to my visits. Whether he surmised how 
much you were to me I do not know, but he 
seemed perfectly willing that I should call upon 
you, and therefore I hope he will not object to my 
loving you and trying to win you. I realize that 
you are young to take such a serious question into 
consideration, but I will not ask you to be hasty 
about your answer. There is no reason why you 
should, and before bidding you farewell, let me 
repeat that I love you devotedty, would guard you 
tenderly and consider you the dearest object of my 
life and the darling of my heart.” 

As her lover disappeared over the brow of the 
hill, Alta’s first thought was that she was glad 
he had said she need not be in a hurry about giv- 
ing her answer. Her naturally gentle and sym- 
pathetic disposition allowed her to find no plea- 
sure in wounding the feelings or defeating the 
expectations of others, while her true womanliness 
made her appreciate the love that was so freely 
given, although her heart could not respond. She 
felt it an honor that one in Mr. McLenden’s posi- 
tion, whose family were wealthy and respected, 
should offer her the privilege of sharing his name 
and fortune ; and her appreciation of his love made 
her have the tenderest regard for the young man. 
At times she tried to persuade herself that this 


64 The Seal of Destiny. 

feeling was love, and listening to his earnest en- 
treaties she, at other times, was strongly tempted 
to surrender unconditionally and allow him to 
take charge of all her future as he had repeatedly 
offered to do ; but this was only when she felt very 
tired and longed for rest. One thing Alta could 
not understand was why of late she felt so de- 
pressed. A foreboding that something unpleasant 
was going to happen and that her lover was in 
some way going to be associated with it, was con- 
stantly before her. 

“I am sure,” she would say, “that papa is going 
to scold me about Mr. McLenden, and I shall be 
glad when he returns to St. Louis.” And she felt 
a certain sense of relief as she pictured her lover 
going over the winding road that led across the 
creek in the cumbersome ox cart of some moun- 
taineer, the only mode of conveyance in that part 
of the country, but there was also a pang of regret, 
at the thought of being without his companionship 
for he was the only intelligent person in the whole 
community, except Miss Angerton, and she was 
three miles distant and could not be seen every 
day. 

One day in October, Alta went for a ramble in 
the woods. She was in a pensive mood and hoped 
to throw off the spell by studying nature. The 
sun just disappearing over the crest of the moun- 
tain and striking the foliage made a brilliant dis- 
play of colors, while just across the narrow valley 
rose in flaming beauty, the painted dome of Mount 
Wahoo, so called by the natives, from the dense 
growth of that shrub which covers it from base to 
summit, making it in autumn after the frost has 


65 


The Seal of Destiny. 

burst the hulls, thus exposing the scarlet berries, a 
veritable picture. "If an artist were to paint any- 
thing one-half so gaudy as yonder mountain he 
would be considered a great dauber,” she said with 
a grave smile. 

The fair young girl, as she sat in dreamy ad- 
miration of the scenery, her hair catching a ray 
from the setting sun which brought out the auburn 
in it, made, all unconsciously, a picture to which 
no artist could do justice. 

Alta was awakened however from her dreaming 
by a well-known voice, and rising from her mossy 
seat she greeted Mr. McLenden in her cordial way. 
"I was just enjoying a study in scarlet, for such 
yonder hillside can surely be called,” she said. 

And the young man, with a lover’s keen percep- 
tion, felt she was disappointed at being disturbed in 
her reverie, while his heart suffered a pang at the 
thought that she did not care as much for him as 
she did for the view she was enjoying, and he came 
near charging her with coldness, but thinking bet- 
ter of it, he entered into a conversation on other 
subjects. He was beginning to see that the one 
thing that was the most interesting to him was not 
at all interesting to her, therefore, after talking 
for awhile of various things he said abruptly, “I 
expect to start for home early to-morrow morn- 
ing. I should have gone several days ago but you 
know there was an attraction here from which I 
could not withdraw.” 

When Mr. McLenden made this announcement, 
Alta felt a slight touch of disappointment, but it 
was not unmingled with pleasure that she would 
so soon be rid of his pleadings, then seeing her 


66 


The Seal of Destiny. 

suitor was watching her closely, evidently striv- 
ing to read her thoughts, she said, calmly, arch- 
ing her brow, “Must you go so soon?” 

“Does it make any difference to you, Miss Towns- 
ley ?” His voice was so sharp that the gifl was too 
much astonished to answer, but stood looking at 
him while he continued : “Why should you concern 
yourself about my going ? Of all the people I have 
known in these hills, not one has treated me as 
indifferently as you have, and I presume the sooner 
I am out of your sight, the better pleased you will 
be, and so I intend to get away and leave you to 
the plants you love so much more than you love 
me.” 

This unexpected rebuke was too much for Alta 
and as her eyes filled with tears, which she per- 
sistently forced back, she said in her quiet way, 
“I think you are very unjust in your charge against 
me, for I certainly shall miss you very much indeed, 
and I do not understand why you should censure 
me when this is the last time we shall meet, and 
this is the first time you have spoken so cross to 
me without a cause.” 

“I think you deserve a scolding for having 
treated me so,” he said. 

This outburst from her lover astonished the 
now frightened girl still more, who could not un- 
derstand wherein she could have treated him dif- 
ferently, for she had told him from the first, that 
his feelings toward her were not reciprocated, 
neither had she encouraged his visits, so for what 
did he blame her now, and she wondered if 
all men were so unreasonable. After watching 
her for a moment and seeing her struggle to keep 


The Seal of Destiny. 67 

back the tears, Mr. McLenden said, and his voice 
a moment since so harsh was now kind and gentle. 
“I am sorry I have hurt your feelings, Alta. I 
know I was cross, but it was jealousy made me so. 
I love you so much, and knowing you do not care 
for me made me angr} r . I came out here to have 
a final understanding with you. I am going home 
now for the winter but shall return some time early 
in the spring; and now, my dear, will you make 
me the promise that while I am away this winter 
you will think over this question which is of such 
great importance to me/’ 

“I thought I had given you to understand, Mr. 
McLenden, that I can never change my mind in 
regard to this, for I know my own feelings just 
as well now as I shall in the spring, and while I 
sincerely appreciate your affection for me, and have 
a feeling of the truest friendship for you, I am 
afraid it can never be anything else.” 

“But if you do not make me this promise, I 
shall not believe in your alleged friendship,” Mr. 
McLenden said, dropping her hand. 

Thinking the promise could do her no harm 
while it doubtless would be a comfort to him, 
Alta said, “since you so much desire it, I will 
promise; but pray do not let this encourage you 
too much, for I am afraid it will only be hope 
raised to be crushed again. I am very sorry that 
I cannot give you more encouragement, but I do 
not know what more I can say.” 

“Then good-by,” the young man said, taking her 
hand in both his own, while he looked tenderly into 
her serious eyes, “and if we should never meet 
again, always remember me as your first and most 


68 The Seal of Destiny. 

devoted lover.” With these words he turned and 
left her, while she with a feeling of sorrow at 
giving up her dearest friend and a pang of regret 
that she should be the cause of his unhappiness, 
wondered if she had done right. Seeing him dis- 
appear in the gathering twilight as he went over 
the brow of the hill a feeling of great loneliness 
came over her. 

“There is no one in the world I shall miss as 
much as Mr. McLenden,” she said as she walked 
toward her humble home. 

All that autumn she was lonely and depressed; 
never really wishing him back, but missing his 
companionship sadly. She took up her studies 
with renewed energy, but gave to the absent artist 
much of her thought. 

“We were not created for each other, I am sure,” 
she said, “for if so my heart would have responded 
to his love, and the Lord would have made it evi- 
dent that our union was our destiny.” 

The brilliant beauties of October were gradually 
yielding to the rude advances of winter; many of 
the trees were left leafless to shiver in the cold 
winds and await its own good time to throw its 
snowy mantle about them as they stood sharply 
outlined in striking relief against the bare rocks. 
As the weeks wore into months, Alta grew ac- 
customed to doing without Mr. McLenden and as 
he had not kept his promise to write to her, she 
hoped he had made up his mind to give her up ; but 
one day she received a letter from him in which he 
declared he still loved her, prayed that she would 
learn to love him and said he intended returning 
to the mountains in the spring. He ardently 


The Seal of Destiny. 69 

hoped that love would predominate her feelings 
toward him then and that their mutual love would 
culminate in an early marriage. This letter dis- 
turbed the girl very much, for the winter being 
now half spent she knew the time would soon roll 
around for his return, and with a sigh she thought 
if he would come only as a friend how glad she 
would be to have him back. 

Laying the letter down she walked restlessly 
about the room for awhile, then taking her hat 
went out in the wintry sunshine hoping to over- 
come her depression. “It is strange that when 
I feel a presentiment of something unpleasant go- 
ing to happen I should always associate it with the 
man whom I believe would do more to protect me 
than any one else/’ she said, as she started for her 
Cathedral to ask heavenly protection and sup- 
port. 

Hearing her father calling her from the door- 
way of their cabin instinctively she remembered 
the letter which she had carelessly left open on 
the table. She knew from the sound of his voice 
that he was angry, and tremblingly she approached 
him. 

“Come in here,” Mr. Townsley said, taking her 
by the arm to hurry her in. “See here,” he con- 
tinued, “what does this young man mean writing 
you about hoping you will love him and all this 
nonsense ? Have you not been his promised wife 
all these months ?” 

“Why, no, papa,” Alta said, pale and agitated, 
for she" knew her answer would throw her already 
angry father into a perfect rage, and she had 
great fear of him when in one of his uncontrollable 


70 


The Seal of Destiny. 

passions. Unable to comprehend her words, Mr. 
Townsley stared at her for a moment, then said: 

“Do you mean to tell me that fellow has never 
asked you to marry him ?” 

“Why, yes, papa, but I did not accept.” 

“How dare you tell me this? I want you to 
understand that when that young man comes 
back you are to tell him you intend to marry him, 
whether he asks you again or not. Now, mind you, 
I mean what I say, and you just dare disobey me 
and you will have cause to regret it. Now, I re- 
peat that you are to marry that man.” 

Trembling with fright Alta stood before her 
parent struggling hard to control herself, for she 
knew her father would not tolerate tears. “I 
will give you just three days to decide what you 
are going to do, and at the end of the third if you 
still choose to be contrary, as you have been so far, 
you are to leave this house, and go out into the 
world to shift for yourself, and once you are gone 
you must neither let me see or hear from you 
again and having nothing more to say he turned 
and left the room. 

Once alone Alta’s first impulse was to seek her 
Cathedral but remembered she was in no frame 
of mind to enter the hallowed spot, so within its 
pale she would not go, while through her brain 
surged all the conflicting emotions of anger, fright, 
despair and rebellion. Going to the woods where 
she could think without being disturbed, the agi- 
tated girl seated herself on a log, and pressed her 
hand to her throbbing heart while she tried to 
think calmly of the situation. She knew her 
father would abide by his threat and that within 


71 


The Sea! of Destiny. 

the allotted three days she would be an outcast. 
Had it been a question of less importance than that 
of marriage she would have thought it her duty 
to respect her father’s wishes. 

Her father’s house though a home of poverty had 
yet been the only shelter she had ever known, and 
the thought of leaving it, with no idea of where 
to go, was appalling to the girl, who knew noth- 
ing of battling with the world. One thing she 
knew was that she must get out of the mountains 
and back into a part of the country where there 
was work for the laborer. Once out of those 
regions she felt sure of finding something to do to 
support- herself. 

The one merchant living in the valley kept a 
small supply of groceries and dry goods, to pur- 
chase which he made semi-annual trips to the 
nearest railroad town, Springfield, Missouri. The 
distance being one hundred miles, it took about a 
fortnight to make the trip with a mule team. 

Thinking over the possibilities of getting out 
of the mountains it occurred to Alta that this man 
had not made the first trip of the year, but she 
knew he would be going soon to buy his spring 
goods, and to go with him she thought would be 
her only chance. After remaining in the quiet of 
the woods for some time, she had grown calm and 
was thinking seriously of this unexpected change 
that was about to take place in her life. “Is it 
possible,” she said, startled as the thought came 
to her, “that for me the careless idle days of girl- 
hood are past, and I must undertake to fill my 
place in the world as a woman ?” For a moment she 
was confused and could scarcely grasp the idea, 


72 The Seal of Destiny. 

then fully comprehending it, a feeling of reverence 
came over her for the name that henceforth she 
was to bear and present in purity to the world. 
Her transmission from the one state to the other 
had been so sudden and unexpected that it was 
hard for her to realize that the bridge spanning the 
stream dividing girlhood and womanhood had been 
crossed at a single bound. Filled with an intense 
love of life and all that made it useful, she earnest- 
ly prayed that she might live a noble, pure and un- 
selfish life. 

Standing alone in the dense forest which she 
loved as much in its winter garb of white as she 
did in its summer dress of green, the girl was 
calmly, dispassionately, yet vainly trying to think 
what the future might hold in store for her, what 
of pleasure and disappointment, of fortune or 
misfortune. Suddenly she gave a start as the 
thought of Mr. McLenden came to her mind. 
It was the first memory she had had of him since 
her father had called his name three hours pre- 
vious. “I wonder what he would do should he 
hear of this trouble between papa and me?” she 
thought. “I am sure he would feel dreadful to 
think that he was the cause of it. However, were 
he here now,” she said, with a peculiar smile she 
had when thinking of the oddity of things, ‘lie 
would have the pleasure of offering me what 
consolation he could.” A squirrel frisking from 
bough to bough of the nude tree under which 
she stood, stopped to eye her timidly for a mo- 
ment, then hurried away, while a flock of crows 
on a nearby hawthorn, their glossy plumage beau- 
tifully outlined against the snow, after looking 


73 


The Seal of Destiny. 

suspiciously at her for awhile, at a signal from 
their leader raised their wings and flew away, leav- 
ing her feeling lonely and sad — a feeling that 
soon gave place to one of pleasure, as she thought 
that once back among enlightened people and em- 
ployed, she would be enabled to take up her 
studies in various lines, and thus make a start to- 
ward the education which she had never given up 
the hope of obtaining. Viewing the situation 
with the placid brow of wisdom, Alta started to 
find Herbert and pour into his willing ear her tal» 
of woe. 

Greatly surprised at her story, the youth said, 
“I thought you and Mr. McLenden were going to 
marry, sister.” 

“No ; we are not, and the chances are we shall 
never meet again,” she replied. 

And the next day the boy walked four miles to 
see the merchant and arrange with him to allow 
Alta to go with him to Springfield; and he also 
arranged with the merchant’s wife for her to stay 
with her, until they were ready to start. 

“When am I to go? You know I have only 
been given three days in which to leave/’ Alta 
said with a sigh, when her brother had told her 
of the arrangements he had made. 

“You can go any time, to-morrow, or next 
day.” 

“Then I shall leave here early to-morrow, be- 
fore papa is up.” 

Rising before the sun the next day, Alta 
dressed herself and started for her Cathedral. 
The breeze was refreshing to her, as she had slept 
but little the night previous. The winter birds 


74 


The Sea! of Desiiny. 

were beginning their matins to the coming day, 
and their little “cheep-cheep” was heard sleepily 
from among the boughs. The gray of the eastern 
sky was deepening to a pearl, tinged lower with a 
pale rose, and everything proclaimed that another 
day was at hand. 

As Alta walked through the woodland path, she 
gathered some sprays of holly and cedar, the only 
green things she could find. Seating herself, she 
wove the holly into a wreath; this finished she 
slipped on a white dress, which she had brought 
with her, over the one she wore. Entering the 
Cathedral, she threw the cedar at the foot of the 
gnarled tree which she called her altar. Placing 
the holly wreath upon her brow, she knelt upon 
the cedar and offered up an earnest, fervent 
prayer. 

The petition ended, she continued aloud: “I 
am here to make this solemn vow to Thee, a vow 
by which I will abide, that until I can believe 
beyond a doubt that Thou art sanctioning my mar- 
riage, I will consider myself as bride unto Thee. 
Bowing here in reverence to Thy Divine Author- 
ity, I pronounce the vows which will doubtless be 
recorded in heaven as the contract under which I 
have placed myself to allow no one to lead me to 
the altar until I am certain that Thou hast directed 
me to accompany him there, and art there Thy- 
self, waiting to bless the union, the vows of which 
shall be no less sacred than are these that have 
just passed my lips.” 

Pausing a moment in the doorway of her Cathe- 
dral, she made a striking picture, clad in white 
with, the wreath of green upon her fair brow. 


75 


The Seal of Destiny. 

The first rays of the sun, as it shone above the hill- 
tops, fell aslant upon her head, and it was to her 
as if a gentle hand had rested there a moment, while 
a benediction had been pronounced, and she ac- 
cepted the orb of day’s timely appearance, as an 
omen of a bright and happy future. Removing the 
wreath and gown, she took one last look about Her 
sanctuary, then started toward home to find Her- 
bert, who was to accompany her to the merchant’s. 

“We must hurry,” he said, as she joined him, 
“if we are to be off before father gets up.” 

Penning the following note, she left it on the 
table : 

“Dear Papa. Having given two days of serious 
thought to your wishes, I find I cannot comply 
with them, and as the only alternative you have of- 
fered me is to leave your house, I will obey. 
Thinking it better to go without further annoy- 
ance, I will in this hasty note bid you and mamma 
and the children good-by.” 

When Mr. Townsley read Alta’s note he was 
chagrined. He had thought she would prefer 
marrying and having a comfortable home of her 
own instead of going out in the world alone, but 
he was beginning to find out that his daughter had 
inherited a large share of his determination. As 
the object of his wrath was out of hearing, he 
turned to Winifred, and with voice trembling with 
rage, said: “Your sister has treated that man 
shamefully. She has done everything to win his 
love, just for the sake of throwing him over when 
she pleases. I tell you, no girl of mine is going to 


76 The Seal of Destiny. 

act this way; I won’t have it, Winifred,” and 
with this the angry man strode out of the room, 
leaving the girl feeling that she in some way was 
to blame for Alta’s conduct. She had listened in 
silence to her father’s harangue, knowing that his 
charges against her sister were false. 

“One thing I am sure of, I shall never have any 
beaux while home with papa, for he might want 
me to marry all of them,” she soliloquized. 


The Seal of Destiny. 


77 


CHAPTER VIII. 

Discussing what they should do with Alta upon 
reaching their destination, the merchant and his 
wife decided to leave her under the care of a min- 
ister with whom they were acquainted, and with 
whom they knew she would have a home until she 
found employment. 

Herbert had told the merchant that his sister’s 
reason for leaving home was a desire to earn money 
that she might educate herself, and he in turn 
gave this same reason to the minister, upon hear- 
ing which that gentleman’s interest was awakened, 
for he w r as an enthusiast on the question of self- 
made men and women, being one of that class him- 
self. 

“Bring her here, and she shall stay with us until 
she decides what she wants to do,” he said, “and 
perhaps I can assist her in finding employment.” 

Sitting alone that evening in the cosy room as- 
signed her, Alta’s first thoughts were of thankful- 
ness to a kind Providence for thus caring for her. 
Knowing nothing but housework, the following day 
she found a place as a domestic. Upon receiving 
her first week’s earnings she purchased books and 
entered an evening school. She also about this 
time began work on a series of articles for the 


78 The Seal of Destiny. 

Botanical Journal, about the flora of the Ozarks, 
drawing from her well-filled note-book. This was 
the work she had determined upon for her future 
and she was eager to be about it. Returning from 
her school about ten o’clock in the evening, she 
would devote the next two hours to that work, 
that being the only time she had for writing, know- 
ing that she must be up at five the following morn- 
ing in order to get through with her household 
duties. 

She found the work in a large house different 
from that in a one-roomed cabin, and many times 
she was so tired, that she feared she could not 
get through the day. 

The hard work and anxiety to please, the hard 
study and the equally hard thinking given to her 
writing, and the short hours given to sleep were 
all beginning to tell in her large eyes, with deep 
rings underneath; the paleness of her cheeks and 
a tired expression that was constantly upon her 
features. Had some of her family from the moun- 
tains, with all the freshness of country life about 
them, come in unexpectedly upon the girl as she 
stood by the board ironing, they would hardly have 
recognized her as the fresh and elastic Alta who 
had left them only six weeks before, and as the 
days grew longer and warmer, and the nights 
shorter, the student and worker began to realize 
that it would be impossible to keep up much longer 
and do as she was doing; and only the fact that 
the school would soon close for the season, gave 
her the strength to hold out. 

After graduating, Alta arranged with a teacher 
to gi^e her instructions in botany, going to him 


The Seal of Destiny. ',9 

three evenings of the week for her lessons, and 
about the same time she took up the brain-trying 
studies of psychology and metaphysics, two studies 
in which she had felt an interest since she had 
talked with Miss Angerton. All this time the per- 
severing girl was laying away every dollar she 
could spare from her immediate needs, hoping to 
be able to enter a finishing school, either in the 
autumn or at the beginning of the New Years 
term. 

Some time in the spring, Alta received a let- 
ter from her sister, in which she said, Mr. Mc- 
Lenden had returned to the mountains, and she 
rounded up her sentence by saying “he was greatly 
disappointed when he found that you were gone, 
and declared he would search the world over if 
necessary, to find you. I hardly think he will 
stay here, he seems so restless and dissatisfied, and 
looks so sad. I think he will go back to St. Louis 
soon, as I misled him into thinking you were 
there.” 

This letter disturbed Alta, and for days the im- 
age of her lover was before her. It made her sad 
to know that he was suffering, and that she was 
the cause of it. 

“I cannot understand,” she said one day when 
she noticed her reflection in the mirror and saw 
the worn and haggard features, “what kind of 
hearts those of my own sex have who enjoy win- 
ning a man’s love just for the sake of cutting 
him. I think it is a dreadful thing for one to do, 
and I hope it never happens again that a man 
loves me unless I can reciprocate his feeling. And 
I question sometimes if it is right for a woman 


80 The Seal of Destiny. 

to make herself so attractive in appearance and 
winning in her ways, when she knows that by 
these qualities she is liable, though it may be un- 
intentional, to win the love of her masculine ac- 
quaintances. To a true woman, where is the pleas- 
ure of thus creating in the hearts of others a feel- 
ing which does not linger at the threshold of ad- 
miration, but becomes a stronger and more ardent 
sentiment when she knows that to frown upon her 
own creation, is to crush it, many times causing 
years of unappeased disappointment.” And while 
she thus commented with herself, it had not 
occurred to Alta that she was as pleasing and win- 
ning in her ways as any of her sex. 

In her moments of sadness and homesickness, 
Alta's reflections always brought to mind her 
family, buried among those lofty hills eternal in 
their desolation, and she felt her own life had 
become about as desolate. 

Her yearning for Herbert and Winifred was at 
times almost irresistible, and at such times her 
artist lover came in for a large share of her sym- 
pathies, for then she could appreciate his suffer- 
ing. Happily for the girl, situated as she was, 
she was so constituted, that after awhile of these 
despondent feelings, she could rise above them, 
her smile would return, and to all appearance she 
would be as cheerful as if she had never known 
a sorrow, while she would take up her work with 
renewed energy. 

Aspirations many times go beyond physical 
strength, and when the brain tires as well as the 
body it is time to take a rest, and Alta realized 
this, when after a hard day's work-in mid-sum- 


81 


The Seal of Destiny. 

mer, she forced herself to go to her teacher for 
her lesson in botany. While listlessly answering 
questions and compelling her brain to apply itself 
against its inclination, she suddenly collapsed and 
fell in a swoon at her instructor’s feet. 

Seeing she was going beyond her ability, her 
teacher decided to close the lessons until the cooler 
weather in the autumn, and to insure himself 
against his pupil studying when alone, he took all 
her books and kept them from her. This did not 
please Alta, but she respected the professor’s supe- 
rior judgment and knew that she should abide 
by it. 

In September, Miss Townsley received another 
letter from Winifred, in which after telling her 
of the home affairs, she said : “Mr, McLenden has 
gone back to St. Louis; he only stayed down here 
a few weeks, and all the time appeared so sad 
and lonely, that it made me feel depressed to see 
him. Every few days he called to inquire if I 
had heard from you, and it is well for you that I 
had not, if you wish to keep out of his way, for 
had I known, through sympathy, I should have 
told him of your whereabouts. But he is gone, 
and we are going too, for papa has everything ready 
for us to resume our journey by vehicle, to Texas, 
and we will start in about in a week.” Then 
further down on the page Winifred wrote in a 
light strain, what was taken by Alta very seriously. 
Her words w T ere: “Mr. McLenden said, once lie 
reached home he would use every means within 
his power to find you, and officers would be em- 
ployed, and the ‘city directory would be searched, 
while schools of various kinds would be watched, 


82 The Seal of Destiny. 

So if you go to St. Louis, he is almost certain to 
find you. He thinks you could love him if you 
could give up your love for plants. You see he 
does not know why you left home.” 

Miss Townsley was fast becoming a profound 
student of metaphysics, and was evolving a theory 
of her own upon the question of marriage, and 
she believed as much in the invisible current which, 
according to her theory, transmigrated between 
two intellects, as she believed there were ether 
waves passing through the air above. Her study 
of mental phenomena led her to believe that every 
mind had its counterpart in one of the opposite 
sex, and that the action of the one upon the other 
established a mutual correspondence that could not 
be misunderstood by the two concerned. There- 
fore she stood firm in the belief that if the evolu- 
tion of herself and Mr. McLenden had from 
eternity been unconsciously correlative time would 
make it plain to her that their destiny was a union 
of their lives. Meanwhile she would keep her vow 
to her Lord, and consider herself as bride unto 
Him until He saw fit to make her conscious of 
the mental waves surging between herself and 
some one else. 

Her ten months of service in various families 
had given Alta the opportunity to study marriage 
in its different phases in domestic life, and left 
imperishable impressions upon the mind just then 
unfolding and capable of being easily impressed 
and the conclusions she drew influenced all her 
future. 

Seeing so much dissatisfaction in married life 
strengthened Miss Townsley’s belief in her own 


Z 3 * -n 


The Seal of Destiny. 

theory, that unless the union was the termination 
of the purpose of God from eternity, it was with- 
out His holy seal. Therefore, a marriage only, 
and not a union. “But,” she said, “I am afraid 
there will be no fewer unhappy marriages, and 
the divorce record will increase in volume until 
the people are awakened to the knowledge that 
they are subjects of predestination.” And with a 
sigh she would sum up the whole question by 
saying that after all, from a worldly view, fancy 
was to be held responsible for the majority of 
unhappy unions, and discord of character and 
uncongeniality of dispositions finishes the work 
by bringing about the unhappiness. “Love is 
wily and leads the imagination to paint dark 
objects in a light altogether too strong, and so 
weak mortals are not so much to blame,” she solil- 
oquized. 

Learning of her desire to enter a finishing 
school, her teacher of botany recommended one 
with which he was acquainted, as being very select. 
There his own daughter had taken her finishing 
course and there he advised Alta to go. This 
school was located in one of the suburbs of St. 
Louis, where it was quiet, and where there were 
few things to distract the mind from its applica- 
tion to study. 

Once settled in this school, Alta’s first thoughts 
were of Mr. McLenden, and while she felt the 
chances were that she would never meet him in 
the vast throng that crowded the streets from 
morning till night, yet she knew it was not im- 
possible. She believed if the Lord were directing 
her steps and those of her lover to come together, 


84 The Seal of Destiny. 

nothing would stand in the way of the meeting. 

As she had not asked the professor’s advice 
about schools, and did not know until he had 
mentioned it, that he had lived in St. Louis, 
Miss Townsley was inclined to believe that his 
directing her to that quiet retreat, was the work 
of Providence in her behalf. And should Mr. 
McLenden carry out his threat to search the vari- 
ous institutions of learning for her, he would 
hardly find this small school, situated so far 
from the business center. “Any way,” she said, 
“I am just going to let things drift, and make 
no effort to find, nor will I make an effort to 
avoid meeting him, because I believe the Lord 
is directing all things and I have nothing to say. 
If, however, we are never to meet again, I think 
Mr. McLenden will find out in time that it is 
far better to be disappointed and single than to 
be disappointed and married.” 

While Alta was allowing her thoughts to thus 
dwell upon her lover, the young artist was sit- 
ting in his studio, not three miles distant, think- 
ing of her and wondering where she was and 
what she was doing at that moment, while he 
looked lovingly at a painting of Mount Wahoo, 
done in oil that hung upon the wall. Of all the 
pictures he had painted, Mr. McLenden valued 
this most. It represented the mountain in its 
brilliant autumnal garb, while in the foreground 
on the grass, Alta was seated, dreamily studying 
the mountain and the surrounding scenery; her 
white dress brought her perfect form out in bold 
relief against the yellow, green and brown of the 
foliage. The disconsolate lover had painted this 


85 


The Seal of Destiny. 

picture from memory on his return to St. Louis. 
It represented her as she had appeared to him 
when unseen he had stood watching her for a 
moment before advancing to speak to her. 
Studying the painting, tears tilled his eyes, for he 
could never forget that on this, his last meeting 
with her, he had hurt her feelings by reproach- 
ing her, when she had said she was “admiring 
a study in scarlet.” At the time the remark had 
engendered a feeling of je.vlousy in his breast, 
but now fifteen months later, he knew she had 
only said it to call his attention to the beauty of 
the hillside. 

Was it the communion of souls that caused 
the lover and beloved to each at the same mo* 
ment be wondering where the other was, while 
they both recalled the scene of their last meet- 
ing? Alta would say it was not, for the reason 
that while the artist was ardently longing to 
see her, she, although wondering about him, was 
not caring whether she ever met him again, unless 
it could be as a friend onlv. Her theory taught 
her that no difference how far apart two might 
be situated, if by the transmission of thought 
they were holding communion, the mental teleg- 
raphy created a great yearning for each other. 

Mr. McLenden had gone back to the mountains 
early in the spring, about two months after Alta 
left home; and upon learning that she was not 
there, had immediately lost all interest in his work 
and also in his surroundings, which before her ap- 
pearance among the hills had been the only in- 
centive to bring him there. 

Herbert and Winifred thinking it best to 


86 The Seal of Destiny. 

not let him know why Alta had left home, told 
him she had gone away in order to have the ad- 
vantage of instructors, and Mr. Townsley being 
still too angry at being defeated by his daughter, 
would not for his own pride’s sake tell the artist 
of what had happened. So he was left in igno- 
rance of the truth and accepted the brother’s and 
sister’s explanation of her absence, but he was 
keenly hurt to think that she had not cared 
enough for him to answer his letter or let him 
know of her whereabouts, and after vainly trying 
to get interested in his work, he had given it up 
and moved to another part of the mountains, some 
fifty miles north of there — a move which brought 
him within fifty miles of Alta, while she was 
located in Springfield, had he but known it. Mak- 
ing a great effort to do some sketching in this 
new location and failing, he returned home, ex- 
plaining to his mother and sisters that he was 
not well, and had thought best to come back, so 
he could have their care in case he got sick; and 
to please his anxious mother, he went to see a 
physician, and got a few powders, which he took 
the pains to take from the box at regular inter- 
vals, and throw in the stationary basin, turning 
the water on and washing them down, while he 
made it a point to always leave the neat white 
paper, from which the medicine was emptied, in 
some conspicuous place where his mother would be 
sure to see it. 

On his departure from the mountains, Mr. Mc- 
Lenden wrote and sealed a note, and left it with 
Winifred to be forwarded to her sister, should 
she ever hear from her. 


87 


The Seal of Destiny. 

In this message, which was months in reach- 
ing her, the inconsolable lover had awakened a 
stronger feeling of sympathy for himself in the 
heart of his beloved, than by anything he had ever 
6aid to her, for it seemed to Alta that it expressed 
the acute suffering and unsatisfied yearning of a 
soul grown hopeless and given over to despair. 

After reading it the pain at her own heart was 
so sharp that she could not speak, and throwing 
herself upon the couch she prayed her Lord to 
make the way plain to her. 

In this note, the artist had again declared his 
love, and had also expressed regret at hav- 
ing reprimanded her on the occasion of their 
last meeting, then continued, “While I have al- 
ways known you did not love me, I have always 
believed in the sincerity of your friendship, and 
had all the world stood up and declared to me 
that the friendship, in which I would have staked 
my all, did not exist, I should not for one moment 
have listened to it or tolerated the idea; but the 
truth which has broken my heart has been forced 
upon me by your own action in hiding yourself 
away from me ; you certainly could not have taken 
a better course to let me know of your utter lack 
of interest in me or to show to me your infidelity. 
However, as you are still the first in my thoughts, 
the first in my life and the first in my heart, my 
whole soul continues to yearn for you. Suffering 
the pangs of disappointment, I must admit, 
against my own inclination, that when so often 
declaring your friendship for me I have beeu 
deceived; but for the sake of past happy days, I 
find that forgive I can, and do, but forget, never !” 


88 The Seal of Destiny. 

With naught but a feeling of the warmest 
friendship, Alta was keenly hurt at this expressed 
lack of confidence, considering the source from 
whence it came. None could wound her as deeply 
by charging her with infidelity as could Mr. Mc- 
Lenden. Yet, while it had not occurred to her 
before, it was plain enough now that keeping her 
whereabouts unknown to him had given him good 
reason to doubt her. Taking pen and paper she 
wrote the following note : 

“My very dear Mr. McLenden: I have just 
received your letter, in which you so severely cen- 
sure me, and accuse me of having deceived you in 
regard to my friendship; and while I know that 
you are justified in thinking so, I want to beg 
of you to be more liberal toward me, and instead 
of causing me such sharp pain, try to reinstate 
me in your confidence and believe me to be ever 
your truest and sincerest friend.” 

As she finished the note it occurred to Alta 
that not knowing her lover’s whereabouts, she 
could not address it to him. 

His letter which she had just read was dated 
in the latter part of May; and now, the last week 
in October, it had only just reached her. This 
delay was caused by Winifred’s inability to se- 
cure writing material with which to correspond 
with her sister. As the mountaineers could not 
write, the one merchant of the valley kept neither 
paper nor envelopes on sale; so not until they 
were settled in Texas did the girl find it conven- 
ient to forward the artist’s letter. 


89 


The Sea! of Destiny. 

“I can think of no way to have this reach 
him,” she said, with an attempted sigh, which was 
checked by the pain at her heart, “but should I 
ever meet him again, I will show it to him, so he 
will know what my feelings toward him were at 
this time,” and dating the note she put it in the 
envelope with his letter to her, and laying them 
away, forced herself to go about her household 
duties. 


90 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER IX. 


The autumn following Alta’s home leaving, her 
father left the mountains, going down into Texas, 
where he secured himself a farm of several acres, 
on which was a cottage built by the former 
owner. 

“This looks more like farming,” he said, as he 
stood in the doorway of his home — the first he 
had ever owned — and surveyed the broad acres, 
which reminded him of the rolling prairie lands 
of his native state, more than did the stony acres, 
which lay so much on the slope, that the ques- 
tion was how the oxen could keep their equilibrium 
when plowing them, and where the stones were 
gathered as often as the crops. 

Mr. Townsley had never liked the mountainous 
country and had only stopped there for a season 
or two of farming, the remuneration of which was 
sufficient to help him on his journey southward. 
What he said about the rocks was true, for it mat- 
tered not how thoroughly they were gathered from 
these hillside farms, after a few hard rains, which 
washed the earth from them, there would be just 
as many more glistening in the sun and waiting 
their turn to be collected and thrown with the 


The Seal of Destiny. 91 

others in a heap, or used, as they often were, to 
build stone fences about the farms, until it 
seemed that there were really more stones than 
soil and the wonder was that vegetation could 
find covering enough for its roots to succeed in 
growing. 

The cottage and acreage were not paid for, but 
he had bought it on easy terms and would in 
course of time have a clear title to it. Winifred 
was delighted with the new home and lost no 
time in making the interior attractive, and beau- 
tifying the grounds with shrubbery roses and 
vines. 

"Mamma has never had a home,” she said, "and 
I mean to make one of this for her.” 

Being located near one of the largest cities in 
the state, the girl’s first thoughts were of school, 
and she hoped to persuade her father to allow her 
to resume her studies. 

Winifred had a way of getting around her 
parent and coaxing for a favor, until he would 
yield to her entreaties to get rid of her. In this 
respect she was not as independent as Alta, who 
asked favors of none. 

Herbert was also pleased with the location for 
various reasons, one of which was, that he found 
the city had excellent schools, while opportunities 
for young men to find openings for themselves in 
both business and professional life were plenti- 
ful. And he now hoped to make a start toward 
the education which it was necessary he should 
have before entering a theological college. So as 
soon as they were settled in their cottage, which 
was to be the elder people’s home for the re- 


i 


92 The Seal of Destiny. 

mainder of their lives, and had put the place in 
order by repairing fences and getting the 
ground ready for the next spring’s planting, Her- 
bert told his father that he wanted to go to school 
in the city during the winter, or at least, through 
the season called winter, though the flowers 
bloomed, the grass remained green and the birds 
sang throughout the months, which, in northern 
climes, are snowbound. 

Of late Mr. Townsley had realized that his son 
was fast attaining his manhood; and if he would 
keep him home and have him to help with the 
farming and to assist in paying for the place, he 
must be careful how he treated him, and not 
oppose him too much, so when the announcement 
was made that he would go to school, his father 
offered but little opposition, much to the youth’s 
surprise, and also relief at thus so easily gaining 
his parent’s consent. 

Herbert’s first step was to enter a grammar 
school. Having been out for eighteen months, he 
found if he would keep up with his class he must 
apply himself assiduously to his studies, so in 
the delightful autumn mornings, he would rise 
at early dawn, and sitting on the veranda, would 
while his mind was fresh from sleep, spend two 
hours of the best part of the day in study, and m 
addition to this he employed a teacher to instruct 
him in several higher studies, taking three les- 
sons a week after the regular school hours. For 
these lessons he paid twenty-five cents each. This 
amount though small, was hard earned by the 
boy, who when not in school, was constantly on 
the lookout for odd jobs whereby to earn it, and 


93 


The Seal of Destiny. 

many times he stooped to the most menial labor 
for the purpose. Failing occasionally to find em- 
ployment, he did without his lessons rather than 
accept his teacher’s kind offer and take them on 
credit, always saying that to get in debt was easy 
enough, but to get out again was not so easy, 
besides it would be the first wrong step toward 
the end for which he was working. 

Graduating from the grammar school, Herbert 
entered a college, and to earn his tuition accepted 
a position as night clerk. This deprived him of 
so much rest that the traces were noticeable in 
his careworn features and hollow eyes, and his 
mother and sister’s relief was great when they 
knew his college days were drawing to a close. 

“There is a young man from whom the world 
will some day hear, and I am proud to say he 
graduated from my school,” the president of that 
institution remarked, when speaking of Herbert’s 
valedictory. 

One part of the youthful orator’s address, which 
had called forth applause, was, when speaking to 
his classmates, he said : “Down through the dim 
vista of the future we discern the mountain rising 
skyward upon which grow the palms of victory, 
one of which we are each determined upon se- 
curing. Although we can discover no road leading 
up those dizzy heights, we will not waste our time 
in looking for one, but will simply take our hon- 
ored tutors for our guides, and turning neither to 
the right nor left, will follow where they lead, al- 
ways upward and onward until through persever- 
ance born of inflexibility the ascent is made, and 
that which seemed infeasible has been accom- 


94 The Seal of Destiny. 

plished and we have only to extend our hand and 
receiving the palm wave it in triumph before the 
world. But let us not forget as we hold forth 
these emblems of victory to an admiring public, 
as we step out with the crown of laurel upon our 
brow, let us always remember that we are Ameri- 
cans and that no higher honor could we ask. And 
while we remember that to America we owe our 
freedom, our enlightenment, our education and 
success, let us not forget that she in return ex- 
pects our gratitude, our defence, if called upon, 
and our patriotism at all times, and next to our 
God, let us always consider our duty to our coun- 
try and let it be the highest aim of each and every 
one of us to impress it upon the world, that 
Americans do not improve as we have been accused 
of doing, but that we simply grow into higher, 
grander and nobler things.” 

Much against his inclination, Mr. Townsley was 
persuaded to attend the commencement exercises, 
but lately Winifred and Herbert were running 
things to suit themselves, he said when reluc- 
tantly consenting to go. Since Alta’s action in leav- 
ing home rather than obey, it was dawning upon 
him that the time was past that he could keep 
his children in subjection to him. And now as 
he looked upon the tall and graceful form of his 
son as he stood before the audience, calm, self- 
composed and dignified, the sire who had always 
in the past declared that none of his children 
should ever show him the disrespect of rising 
above him by being better educated than he, was 
forced to admit, and with a certain sense of pride, 
though he would not acknowledge it, that when 


95 


The Sesi of Destiny. 

young America is determined to rise, nothing can 
keep him down; and the tears came to his eyes 
as the son was applauded, though he quickly 
brushed them away, and hoped no one had seen 
them. 

Several times Herbert had shown him articles 
in the Botanical Journal that were written by 
Alta, who always sent her brother a marked copy 
of the magazine, and this had awakened him to 
the fact that while Herbert was, as he said, rush- 
ing headlong into an education down here in 
Texas, his daughter in St. Louis was not wasting 
any time, but was without considering his wishes, 
going on with her education also, and he supposed 
Winifred would follow in their steps and do as she 
pleased. 

Laying aside his nice clothes, along with his 
college refinement and the polish acquired in so- 
ciety, together with his books, Herbert Townsley 
was again the plain and practical farmer who was 
not afraid to use his muscle as he hoed the corn or 
followed the plow. His father felt more at home 
with the son in his cotton shirt and broad- 
brimmed straw hat, and in the field, than he had 
in different surroundings, and just when he was 
beginning to think that ma}^be the boy was going 
to give up all of that foolishness about education 
and do the more sensible thing, turn his attention 
to farming, Herbert startled him with the an- 
nouncement that he was going east in the autumn 
to enter a university. 

“1 have about decided upon Harvard, 55 the youth 
said, resting for a moment on his hoe handle. 

“Where are you going after graduating from 


96 


The Seal of Destiny. 

there?” his father asked petulantly, for he was 
provoked, seeing which, Herbert, who enjoyed 
teasing his parent, answered: 

“Well, after I leave Harvard’s classic halls I 
shall go to Europe and take a course.” 

“You will go to your grave, young man, that’s 
where you will go, if you keep on getting thin,” 
the disconcerted man replied. 

“It’s your working me too hard on the farm that 
is making me thin, for studying never would,” 
Herbert answered, still teasing. 

Then seeing his father look so downcast at the 
assertion that he would go to Europe, he became 
serious and said, “After a term at Harvard I 
will come home and help you work the farm until 
it is paid for, for I mean to see to it that you 
have this place for a home all the rest of your life, 
and I wish you would not take my getting an 
education so much to heart, for all the knowledge 
in the world will not alter the fact that you are 
my father, nor will it lessen my love or decrease 
my respect for you.” 

Seeing her brother and sister both getting an 
education was an incentive to Winifred, and 
straightway she went to her father and made 
known her intention of re-entering school. 

“You shall not do anything of the kind,” her 
parent answered angrily, when he had heard what 
she had to say. 

“There are only two ways about it, papa,” she 
replied in a temper. “I will either go to school 
from here or I shall leave home as Alta did and at- 
tend school from elsewhere.” 

“I won’t have you speaking so to me, Winnie,” 


The Seal of Destiny. 97 

her father said sternly, “and if you say another 
word I shall punish you.” 

“I haven't another word to say,” she retorted, 
“only that when school opens in September I am 
going.” 

“You are a naughty girl to talk so to your 
father. Alta never spoke so to me,” Mr. Towns- 
ley said. 

Seeing that her father was not only angry, but 
that his feelings were hurt toward her, Winifred 
grew repentant, and commencing to cry begged 
his forgiveness and then immediately spoilt the 
chance of receiving it by saying, “You have always 
loved Alta the most.” She was a little jealous of 
her sister and especially so when he referred to 
her in a way that she thought reflected against 
herself. 

“No, I have not,” Mr. Townsley answered. “I 
like both my girls when they are nice to me, 
which is not so very often.” 

“I do not see why, if you think so much more of 
Alta than you do of me, you do not have her come 
home and send me away,” the girl continued petu- 
lantly, ignoring her father’s remark. 

“She has never asked me if she may come, nor 
has she asked my forgiveness, and until she wants 
it enough to ask for it, she can do without it just 
as I can do without her.” 

Although Winif red many times tried her father's 
patience, yet she usually got any favor she asked 
if she went about it in the right way, so now, 
after first coaxing him into a pleasant humor, she 
persuaded him to give his consent to her going to 
school. 

Of a disposition to enjoy life in the fullest. 


98 The Seal of Destiny 

Winifred, after the close of her school days, was 
much sought after, and soon found herself a leader 
in the social set in which she moved. At an en- 
tertainment given by a young matron, who was a 
former classmate of Winifred’s, she was intro- 
duced to a Mr. Brookings, a young man who was 
a cousin to the fair hostess. 

While Winifred thought him handsome, she 
found him very stiff, and was under great re- 
straint while conversing with him, and when she 
was asked to excuse him that he might be intro- 
duced to some one else, she graciously assented, 
but when he and the hostess were out of hearing, 
the girl drew a full breath and said, “Bless you 
for this, you do not know how you have relieved 
me. I hope you will not introduce any more of 
your cousins if they are all as unbending as this 
one.” As the company was passing to the din- 
ing-hall, and Mr. Brookings asked for the pleas- 
ure of her society at the table, she accepted his 
proffered arm and listening as he talked in a 
scholarly way, Winifred found herself admiring 
this much traveled man for the ability with which 
he handled various subjects. 

Reviewing the pleasures of the evening as she 
rested awhile before retiring, she was saying that 
with all his embellishments, there was something 
lacking in Mr. Brookings to make him interesting 
to her, but what it was she could not understand. 

The truth, had Winifred but known it, was that 
the responding chord that might harmonize with 
her own fun-loving nature was not there, or if 
there, she had not discovered it in the proud man 
who had only partially awakened her interest in 
himself. 


The Seal of Destiny. 


99 


CHAPTER X. 

At the closing exercises of the school Alta won 
first honors and with them the gold medal. Gradu- 
ating in all the studies of which she had made a 
special course, she was satisfied to let this end her 
days as a pupil. 

“I have finished my school days,” she wrote to 
Herbert, “but not my studying, for I expect to be 
a student all my life and then my thirst for knowl- 
edge will not be satisfied.” 

She was now a very accomplished young woman 
and would be an ornament to any society in which 
she might move, and could Mr. McLenden have met 
her he would have been proud to present her to his 
most critical friends. 

Having no home, Alta thought for the present 
she would remain in St. Louis; so renting a room 
she settled down and gave her time to writing. Her 
contributions to the Botanical Journal were suf- 
ficiently remunerative for her to live in comfort; 
and in addition to that work she was beginning to 
write some interesting papers on metaphysics, 
handling the subject so ably that the editor of the 
periodical devoted to that science, seeing they 
were written by a student of the theory whose 
ideas were in accord with his own, and pleased 
with the prospect of getting such a person as a 


L.ofC. 


100 The Seal of Destiny. 

regular contributor to his magazine, sent the 
authoress a liberal check as an inducement. 

Although young for such an undertaking, Alta 
was collecting notes and getting material together 
for a book on botany. Hoping this work would be 
a success, she was expending a great deal of labor 
and a large share of her knowledge of the subject 
upon it, denying herself all recreation while she 
worked, except an occasional visit to the Botanical 
Gardens, where, supplied with pencil and paper, she 
combined business with pleasure and spent the time 
making notes. 

As the weeks rolled into months and she had 
not seen her quondam lover, she was getting over 
the troubled thought that she might meet him, 
and now after a year’s residence there he was rare- 
ly on her mind, as she walked the streets or strolled 
through the parks. 

The annual autumn exhibition of pictures was 
being hung at the Art Institute an i seeing an ac- 
count of it in the paper, Alta read it through to 
see if her lover’s name was among those of the ex- 
hibitors, but it was not. “Yet he may have some- 
thing hung,” she said, and a few days afterwards, 
in company with some of her former classmates, 
she went to see the exhibit. 

As they walked through the Art Institute one 
of the girls said to Alta: “I want to show you 
one which hangs in the next room that was painted 
by an acquaintance of mine, a landscape artist, 
who goes down into the mountains frequently to 
get subjects, and his work is considered very fine.” 
Had she said his name was McLenden, Alta would 
not have been more certain who the artist was. 


101 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Her face burned and her heart beat rapidly, but 
with outward composure she turned to accompany 
her friend. She was not, however, prepared for 
that which her eyes rested upon, as she passed 
through the door. She gave a start and pressed 
her hand to her heart, for there before her hung 
the painting of Mount Wahoo, with a perfect por- 
trait of herself in the foreground. 

Seeing her start, her friend said: “I thought 
you would be struck with the beauty of this piece 
of work, for I know your love for nature in its 
autumn dress, and Mr. McLenden cays it is quite 
as brilliant as this in the fall.” 

“Who is the lady in the foreground?” Alta 
asked faintly. It was the first word she had spoken 
and to herself her voice sounded far away and 
almost like an echo against Mount Wahoo. 

“She is some girl he knew down there, and I 
judge from things I have heard him say that he 
was very much in love with her.” 

By this time Alta was so agitated that she dared 
not trust her voice to speak. 

Was this girl ignorant of what she spoke? If so, 
why did she not see the likeness to herself in the 
girl in the painting ? She expected every moment 
she would discover it, as she turned her eyes from 
the picture to Alta while she talked. Perhaps she 
knew all the time, and perhaps — but here the agi- 
tated girl grew faint, and, turning, she dropped 
into a seat as it occurred to her that possibly Mr. 
McLenden was back of all this, and had asked this 
young lady to bring her here as a punishment to 
her by letting her see how much more he thought; 
of her than did she of him. 


102 The Seal of Destiny. 

“If he had me brought here this afternoon, then 
he knows I am in the city and he may have seen 
me many times. If he knows I am here lie is 
showing his indifference by not calling on me/’ 
she thought. Then it occurred to her that pos- 
sibly he might be then in the building, and con- 
cealed, had watched her while she looked at his 
painting, and a young man coming through one 
of the doorways startled the nervous girl. 

“What is the matter, Miss Townsley ?” her friend 
asked. 

“Nothing at all,” Alta answered, “only I am a 
little upset.” 

“I shall have to tell Mr. McLenden that I have 
met one young lady who cannot look at his brilliant 
painting without growing exceedingly nervous.” 

“Oh, don’t; please don’t say anything to him 
about it, for he would feel hurt,” the frightened 
girl said, catching her friend by the arm. “Let me 
beg of you not to mention it, for it was not the 
picture that made me ill.” 

“Are you really ill ? I will bring you some water 
and perhaps you will feel better.” 

After Alta drank, her friend said, taking a 
seat by her side : “You did not need to be fright- 
ened at my threat to tell the artist, for I should 
never think of mentioning such a thing to him, 
and if I wanted to ever so much, I could not, for 
he is now in Europe and will be for the next ten 
or twelve months.” 

The thought which disturbed Miss Townsley 
was that if this girl whom it seemed was a mutual 
friend should ever be discussing the exhibit with 
the artist, and in so doing should incidentally men- 


The Seal of Destiny. 103 

tion her name, how easily he could, by inquiry, 
learn her present address, and if he found her in 
this unexpected way, her unwavering belief in 
destiny would impel her to accept it as the direct 
work of Providence. However, when she learned 
that Mr. McLenden was far away, separated from 
her by two thousand miles of territory and much 
more than that of main, she brightened up wonder- 
fully, and in a careless way asked: “What is he 
doing in Europe?” 

“He was not well and his mother thought it 
would do him good to go abroad. He had been 
planning to go to France to study ever since he re- 
turned from the mountains. He has been gone 
since last spring, and will remain away a year 
longer.” 

This answer was made in such an unaffected 
way that Alta was convinced that the girl did not 
know who the figure represented. “She has evi- 
dently paid more attention to the beauty of the 
landscape than to the portrait in the picture,” she 
thought, and she resolved to come alone some day 
to study this painting of a spot so well known to 
her, when she could feel free to drop a tear if home- 
sickness overcame her while she should linger 
over it. 

Reaching home Miss Townsley sat down to en- 
joy one of her rare idle hours. Dreamily she re- 
called the pleasant days spent among the pic- 
turesque hills, the last ones of her girlhood. The 
painting had brought to mind the parting with 
her lover, and caused an ache in her heart. 

“He has hoped to keep that scene always fresh 
in his memory bv having it reproduced in oil,” 


104 The Seal of Destiny. 

she said. That every stroke of his brush had been 
accompanied by a thought of her she knew, and 
that his love for her had been the inspiration of 
the work she doubted not. With a sigh she said: 
“If I could only reciprocate his feelings, but it is 
impossible for me to have anything but a warm 
friendship for him. He was in the city last win- 
ter and we did not meet and now he is away and 
will be for some time, and I cannot but think that 
we are thus kept apart for some purpose.” 

His indisposition was the result of his unsatis- 
fied yearning for her, she was certain, and the only 
consolation she could find was in the hope that he 
would outlive the longing before returning. 

During the winter Alta had, to her great sur- 
prise, a position offered her on the staff of the 
Metaphysical Journal. This paper being published 
in St. Louis the editor-in-chief called upon Miss 
Townsley to have a personal interview. He said 
he was in need of an assistant, the circulation of 
the paper having increased so much within the past 
year that he could not longer get along without 
help, and as she had been a valued contributor to 
the periodical for some time, he would make her 
the first offer. 

This man of massive intellect, of wonderful in- 
tuition and reasoning, with an almost inconceiv- 
able store of knowledge pertaining to natural 
science and other brain-trying studies, and seem- 
ingly master of many of the deeper questions which 
lie beneath the surface, of the mystery of mind’s 
involuntary action upon mind, had delved deeply 
into the hidden things, evolving out of the hetero- 
geneous mass of causes, reason’s invisible powers 


105 


The Seal of Destiny. 

and natural laws, a philosophy of mental influence 
that satisfied himself and was fast winning him 
disciples through the medium of his paper. 

Intellectually refined and coldly platonic in all 
his bearings, but polished to the last degree of 
elegance, Alta found herself growing very nervous 
as she listened while he expounded his theory. He 
was a fine looking man, and while she was admir- 
ing his form and features, she was bowing in hom- 
age to the noble intellect back of the expansive 
brow. The offer he made her was very tempting, 
but standing in awe of the man, Alta hesitated 
about accepting it. He had said her desk would be 
near his and should she get confused about the 
work she could speak to him at any time. But 
after giving it a few days’ of serious thought, she 
found her courage was not sufficient and so dis- 
missed the subject from her mind. 

“It would certainly be an honor to have the 
privilege of assisting a man of such profound learn- 
ing, but I shrink from the thought of sitting in 
that reserved and dignified presence all day,” she 
said. 

“1 predict a brilliant future for that young 
lady and if she comes to w r ork 1 me, I shall do 
all I can to advance her in the theory in which 
we are interested,” the editor thought, as he left 
Alta. He had been surprised at her youthful ap- 
pearance, as he had expected to meet an elderly 
person. 

A fortnight later the editor, not having heard 
from Alta, made her a second visit, during wdiich 
be brought all his persuasive qualities into use, 
and when on taking his leave he said, “You will 


106 The Seal of Destiny. 

give me at least one week of your time, and I shall 
expect you to be at my office to-morrow about nine 
o’clock, when I shall be there to admit you,” Alta 
not knowing how to refuse him, simply bowed her 
acquiescence. 

Visibly trembling, she reported for duty the next 
day, and was assigned to a desk, one from which 
was to be given to the world some profound 
thoughts on the science of mental phenomena. 

Not knowing what her work would be, she ven- 
tured to raise her eyes to her employer as she took 
her seat, and say : 

“You understand, do you not, that I know noth- 
ing at all of this kind of work ?” 

“No, I do not,” he answered, with a peculiar 
toss of his head, which on all occasions seemed to 
take the place of a smile. “On ’the contrary, 1 
thought there was very little that you did not 
understand in regard to the work, otherwise I 
would not have brought you here.” 

With this cold and very decided speech Alta’s 
eyes filled with tears, and she wished herself out of 
his presence and in the seclusion of her room. 
“I do not see how I can work for him,” she 
thought, “while I have such fear of him.” 

Seeing the tears which she tried to prevent his 
discovering, the editor said, handing her a roll of 
manuscript: “We have no time for tears now, 
Miss Townsley, so will you kindly examine these 
papers ? Such that you think will be suitable for 
our columns you may pigeonhole until you find 
time to correct them ; the others you can put in the 
waste basket, and if you find anything that you 
are undecided as to the merits of, why, I am right 


J07 


The Seal of Destiny. 

here. You have only to speak to me;” and with 
this he seated himself at his own desk and seem- 
ingly forgot the girl’s presence, so absorbed was 
he in his work. 

Alta’s employer was a man who had but little to 
say during business hours, having a system about 
his work that required but little conversation. Each 
morning as she seated herself at her desk she found 
the work assigned her for the day neatly arranged 
on the top of it, where the editor had placed it 
after her departure the previous evening, and 
smiling, she would say, “He is determined to 
waste no time in giving directions.” 

As the days passed into weeks and the weeks 
into months, she grew accustomed to the silent 
man working at his desk in the room with her. 
If occasionally she raised her eyes from her papers 
to rest them for a moment she never caught him 
looking at her. He seemed oblivious of her pres- 
ence, and she gradually overcame her nervousness 
lest her work should not please him, as he never 
found any fault with it; but at the end of twelve 
months she did not know him any better than the 
first week of her emplo} r ment under him. Where 
he lived or who with, or whether he was married 
or not, she ; d not know, for as he had never con- 
cerned himself about her, neither did she concern 
herself about him. Sometimes, however, when 
closing their desks and preparing to leave the office 
the editor would talk pleasantly for awhile and 
at such times would please her by in some way 
referring to the work she did and the help she 
was to him. He always treated Alta as if he 
recognized in her a superior, and she did not ex- 


108 The Seal of Destiny. 

actly like it, for from the first she had admired 
and appreciated his intellectual attainments, and 
believed him to be superior to any one else. 

That he had a peculiar influence over her she 
had been aware of from the first few days she 
had sat in the room with him. 

When summer came, w r ith its enervating heat, 
on reaching her room after a day’s work, she would 
collapse, and reclining on the lounge would wonder 
if she would be able to rise the next morning, while 
to even think of going to work seemed to her like 
defying the demands of exhausted nature; but 
slightly refreshed the following day, she would 
enter the editorial room doubting if she could hold 
out until the hour for closing. Almost too tired 
and languid to take up her pen when entering her 
employer’s presence, she would in a short time 
thereafter feel greatly refreshed and take hold of 
the work with renewed energy. For two years 
this had been going on, and each week she would 
feel that she could not get through another ; while 
the excellent salary she was receiving was the one 
incentive that kept her from resigning. 

One day, in midsummer, the editor surprised 
her by looking up from his writing and saying, 
“Did you not tell me. Miss Townsley, that you 
were interested in botany ?” 

“I did,” she answered. 

“You have not given it up?” he queried. 

“No, I have not. I love the study too much 
and all my idle hours are spent with it,” she re- 
plied. 

Then after a few seconds he continued, “Have 
you ever graduated in the study ?” 


The Seal of Destiny. 109 

“Yes, twice; once under a private instructor and 
again from a school in this city/' Alta said, won- 
dering what had suddenly possessed him to be so 
inquisitive. 

“Then you have some diplomas/' and receiving 
the answer in the affirmative, he said no more, but 
turned his attention to his work. 

Since holding her present position, Miss Towns- 
ley had advanced in the study of metaphysics. 
She had had no instruction from her employer, 
but she was educating herself from the paper she 
was working upon and picking up information in 
a general way, until now she was quite versed in the 
science and able to converse fluently upon the sub- 
ject with the learned editor. One day her em- 
ployer delighted her by telling her that she had 
progressed wonderfully in the study, and surprised 
her by continuing, “I am going to have you take a 
rest, for the time has come when you must have 
it. I have not allowed you to know it, but I have 
been enlightening you on the subject in which we 
are both interested, and from the day you first 
entered my employ have kept your mind under 
the direct influence of mine, and in my eagerness 
to advance you I have imparted the knowledge 
too rapidly for your brain to absorb it. T.he re- 
sult is that all the rest of your* body has put forth 
its greatest effort and spared all the vitality pos- 
sible to supply the brain with the necessary nour- 
ishment, and while under my influence you feel 
strong and well and able to undertake almost any- 
thing, but as soon as you are out of my presence 
the body begins to feel the loss. It then misses 
what it so freely gave to the brain, and weak and 


110 The Seal of Destiny. 

tired, you scarcely feel able to rise the next morn- 
ing. 

“Here we have an illustration, or I might say a 
verification of the phenomena of mind working 
upon mind to such a degree that the body suffers 
the consequences, and knowing that I am to blame 
for your enervation, I am going to see that you 
get all the benefit possible from a complete change. 
I am going to send you away for awhile. I have 
secured you a teacher's position in a school of 
botany in the Hot Springs, of Arkansas, where 
while receiving a good salary you can be getting 
the benefit of the thermal waters, which are said 
to be the best in the world. I hope under the 
change you will recuperate and grow strong again, 
and I shall welcome 3 ou back any time you choose 
to come. 

“The position is always open to you. Your 
traveling expenses I shall pay, and should you need 
money you have only to call upon me. I am sorry 
I have been so thoughtless in this matter, but my 
eagerness to see results is such that it precludes 
everything else. And now, Miss Townsley, before 
we leave the office I wish to humbly beg your for- 
giveness for having put your brain through a 
stronger test than it has strength to endure, thus 
forcing it to borrow from the general system. Do 
I have your forgiveness ?" 

“Certainty," Alta managed to say. It was the 
first word she had spoken, so astonished had she 
been. “But rather let me thank you for your kind- 
ness in finding me a position elsewhere, for I cer- 
tainty appreciate it very much." 

“Now I do not like you to thank me for sending 


Ill 


The Sea! of Destiny. 

you away, for it sounds as if you were glad to 
leave me. I shall miss you greatly, for you have 
been invaluable to me,” the metaphysician said 
with a smile, the broadest Miss Townsley had ever 
seen him indulge in. 

“Allow me then to thank you instead for so 
freely imparting your knowledge to me. I have 
known all the time that your mental faculties 
were strengthening mine, but whether it was spon- 
taneous or by your direction I was unable to say, 
and as to the bodily suffering, I think anything 
we apply our brains to draws more or less from the 
vitality of the system.” 

“That is true,” the editor answered, “but I over- 
did the thing by crowding your brain beyond its 
capacity, and only recently have I realized to what 
extent, although some time ago I noticed that you 
appeared very fatigued each morning when enter- 
ing the office.” 

Her employer then proceeded to explain to the 
girl, who had not yet recovered from her surprise 
over the sudden turn of affairs enough to have 
much to say, that the principal under whom she 
was to teach was a friend and former classmate of 
his. 

“When is this new position to be open to me?” 
Alta asked, beginning to be interested as the pros- 
pect of teaching her beloved botany dawned upon 

her. 

“The school opens the first week in September, 
and you can go down any time between now and 
then. You have two weeks yet,” was the answer. 

There was something of a prophecy in the words 
when the editor said : “I think you will like Pro- 


112 


The Seal of Destiny. 

fessor Lamar 'ing, Miss Townsley. You will not 
find him so quiet as myself, because his work re- 
quires more conversing than does mine, which con- 
sists altogether in hard thinking.” 

“Possibly I will,” Alta said simply. 

She was thinking, however, that she would 
hardly meet another person of such mental endow- 
ments as had this man, whose diligence in her be- 
half had stimulated her, causing the development 
of unthought of powers until all things were favor- 
able to her becoming an authority on the theory 
which he advocated. 

“Whatever credit the world may give me for 
work along that line, I will immediately transfer 
that credit to him. It will merely be rebounding 
it back to the source from whence it sprang,” she 
said. 


The Seal of Destiny. 


113 


CHAPTER XI. 

In one of the churches of St. Louis, a congre- 
gation was gathering for Sunday morning .wor- 
ship. 

Stepping inside the door and waiting to be 
shown a seat, Miss Townsley stood watching the 
ushers as they went about the work assigned them. 
Presently one of the attendants, coming toward 
her, attracted her attention, causing her to scan 
his face. 

Walking by his side as he conducted her to a 
seat, she wondered where she had met him. That 
she had seen him before she was certain, for every 
feature seemed familiar, and oblivious to every- 
thing about her, she sat vainly trying to recall 
his personality. As he came down the aisle again 
after having seated some one near the pulpit, 
Alta raised her eyes from her prayer book and 
found the usher looking directly at her and she 
knew from his expression that he had recognized 
her, so far at least as she had him, and she won- 
dered if he was puzzling his brain to place her 
as she was him. 

Leaving the church that day, two of the congre- 
gation could not have told what the morning les- 


114 The Seal of Destiny, 

son had been, or upon what text the sermon had 
been founded. 

As she dreamily walked towaid home, Alta was 
trying to call to mind where she had met the 
usher, and finding memory disloyal, was saying as 
she entered her room and sat down to rest, “It 
makes no difference any way,” when suddenly it 
came to her as a revelation, that the man who 
had shown her a seat was Mr. McLenden. Her 
heart gave a great bound and began to beat vio- 
lently. 

“So I have seen him at last, after almost four 
years, and seeing him, have not known him,” she 
said, pressing her hand to her throbbing heart. 
Then thinking of him, she gave a start as she won- 
dered if he had known her when she had seen the 
expression of intelligence in his eyes. “If he knew 
me and made no effort to speak to me, it is the 
final proof that his love was not founded upon a 
substantial base, but was only the passing love 
which cannot endure, because not foreordained. 
By me it will be accepted as directed by Provi- 
dence, to show me that our lives were not divinely 
appointed to such a culmination, and with it I 
will dismiss the question that has perplexed me 
for nearly five years, ‘Whether it was the Lord’s 
will that I should unite my life with his?’ 

“If he knew me,” she said, reproachfully, “he 
might at least have spoken to me on the standing 
of friendship.” Then remembering that she had 
never had a chance to justifv herself since he 
had written accusing her of insincerity, she con- 
tinued, “I suppose he is still under the impres- 
sion that I wished to drop him entirely.” 


The Seal of Destiny. 115 

Her affectionate nature could never forget any 
one in whom she had ever felt the slightest in- 
terest, and she could not understand how others 
could forget or lose interest in those who had 
once been on the list of friends. Thinking it 
over, she was hurt that Mr. McLenden had made no 
effort to speak to her, and the only excuse she 
could find for him was that possibly he did not 
recognize her, and with a sigh for the bygone days, 
she turned her thoughts upon the new duties that 
she would soon take up, for she was leaving St. 
Louis, the following Tuesday for her future field 
of labor. 

When Mr. McLenden returned from Europe, 
he had the painting of Mount Wahoo brought 
home from the Art Institute and hung in its place 
on the wall of his private sitting-room. As it 
represented the last meeting of himself and Alta 
he had a feeling of reverence for it, and could not 
bear to have it in his studio where the people 
coming in to look at his work could ask questions 
about it. It was far too sacred to him and beside 
he wanted it where he could see it the first thing 
in the morning and the last at night. When 
the young man come down the aisle toward Alta 
he had merely glanced at her face, thinking as 
he did so, that he had seen her before, and that 
was all, until the crowd being accommodated he 
had gone to the front to find a seat, and in so 
doing had placed himself facing the audience and 
where he had a fair view of Alta, whom he fell 
to studying and wondering where he had seen 
her, and it was some time before he realized it was 
Miss Townsley. When at last he did, he gave 


116 The Seal of Destiny. 

a start that was noticeable to those near him, while 
his heart beat with such force that he fancied he 
could hear it. 

His first impulse was to go to her and make him- 
self known, but remembering where he was, he 
knew he could not. All through the service he 
scarcely lifted his eyes from her face. He was not 
however, aware that she was conscious of his pro- 
longed stare. 

And all the time he was looking, he was won- 
dering if she lived in the city, if she had gotten 
the education she once so much craved, if she was 
still interested in botany, and if she was married. 
He had intended speaking to her at the close of 
services but was detained by some one speaking 
to him, which gave the people a chance to get 
between them, so as the crowd passed out and she 
with them, he lost sight of her. Had he spoken 
to her, it would have only been in the way of 
greeting, for further than this he would not go, 
thinking if Miss Townsley wished a renewal of 
their acquaintance, she could make the first step 
toward it. 

For some time after returning from the moun- 
tains, while he believed she was at school some- 
where in St. Louis, he had hoped she w r ould take 
some pains to find him. He knew she had only to 
look in the city directory to learn the location of 
his residence, but as time passed and she had not 
troubled herself so far, he made up his mind to 
drop her altogether, and to try to forget her, he 
had made the trip to Europe. He always be- 
lieved, as she did not answer his letter wherein 
he had -accused her of having deceived him in re- 


The Seal of Destiny. 117 

gard to her friendship, and which he felt certain 
Winifred had forwarded to her, that she wished 
him to understand it that way, otherwise she 
would have refuted the charge. In all these years 
it had not occurred to the artist that Alta had 
no idea of his whereabouts, and therefore, he was 
blaming the one he loved for fickleness while she 
was wishing that she might think of some way to 
let him know that she was still what she had ever 
claimed to be, his truest friend. 

After finding he had missed the chance of speak- 
ing to her, Mr. McLenden went home, and as he 
lay on the lounge studying her portrait, he wished 
he could have a talk with her and hear from her 
own lips what all the intervening years had brought 
to her. That she had prospered he felt certain, 
judging from the garments she wore, but, he 
thought, her features are not changed, only they 
have become more matured. 

“Those eyes,” he said, “are still the most won- 
derful in the world; and I believe I could love 
her yet,” he continued, “should she give me a 
little encouragement, but I am sure she will never 
love any one, for she has given her life up to books 
and study. Well,” he said, with a deep drawn 
sigh, “I have given her up long ago, and I shall 
let it rest so, and make no effort to find her, lest 
it would only be to have my disappointment re- 
newed, and 1 almost wish I had not seen her to- 
day, for it has brought up the past that I hoped 
was forever buried.” 

Then remembering that he had been near her 
once more, that he had walked by her side through 
the aisle of the church, and had even laid his 


118 The Seal of Destiny. 

hand on her arm as he put her in a seat, a thrill 
of pleasure filled his heart, but it was for a mo- 
ment only. Turning his face away from the por- 
trait, he let his tears flow freely. 

Stepping off the train in the Hot Springs of 
Arkansas, Alta was approached by a man who 
asked if she was not Miss Townsley whom Pro- 
fessor Lamar'ing was expecting and then intro- 
duced himself as Mr. Rhey, whom the professor 
had requested to look after Miss Townsley until 
his return to the city, which would be in a few 
days. 

Knowing that no one else could be aware of 
her expected arrival, inspired confidence, and she 
allowed him to put her in the carriage. 

“I was instructed/’ Mr. Rhey said, “to take you 
to the hotel where the professor and his wife board 
until you have a chance to make other arrange- 
ments. I presume you are tired and would like 
to rest, so I will bid you good afternoon, but with 
your permission will call on you to-morrow, for 
you are to be my charge until the professor re- 
turns, you know,” he said with a pleasant smile, 
as he took his leave. 

Thinking of all the years she had taken care 
of herself, Alta smiled as she wondered what kind 
of an opinion the professor must have of her sex 
that he thought they needed looking after. 

Mr. Rhey, a cultured young man with pleasing 
ways and ready wit, was one of society’s favorites, 
and no social function was considered a success 
without him. He bore an excellent reputation, 
was a church worker, and had won himself many 


119 


The Seal of Destiny. 

friends and some enemies by his stanch and con- 
tinued refusal to take wine. It mattered not to 
him if every one at a banquet partook of the tempt- 
ing beverage, and while partaking urged him to 
make himself • social, and drink with them, he 
never wavered, but always in his pleasant and 
unoffending way declined, saying that he had 
signed the pledge, and when he took an oath he 
always stood by it. Through his influence sev- 
eral other young men of his set had given up wine 
also, and become church goers, and were there- 
after reckoned among his dearest friends. 

The following day Mr. Rhey called upon Miss 
Townsley and asked her to drive with him and 
he would show her the town. He had such pleas- 
ant and sincere ways and was so cordial that 
from the first, Alta felt confidence in him, and as 
she w r as a little homesick, she accepted his invi- 
tation, and when she gathered from his conver- 
sation that he was interested in botany, she thought 
that she should like him. 

In speaking of Professor Lamar'ing, he casu- 
ally remarked that it had not been long since he 
was a pupil of the professor, and some of his 
happiest days had been spent in the woods with 
him, taking lessons from plants. 

“Then you are interested in the study, too,” 
Miss Townsley said. 

“Yes,” he answered, “I was only graduated last 
year, and I am still studying and mean to keep 
at it all my life, for to me it is the most fas- 
cinating of all researches.” 

This avowal of his love for botany installed 
Mr. Rhey with a more substantial backing, into 


120 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Alta’s interests, than had all of Mr. McLenden’s 
avowals of love for herself. She allowed him to 
accompany her to church on Sunday and sitting 
by him, recalled the fact that just a week previous 
she had sat in a church in St. Louis, and been 
scrutinized by Mr. McLenden, and for a moment 
she felt a sense of guilt that so soon after seeing 
him, she should feel the interest in another that 
she was just then conscious of. Then remember- 
ing that he had not spoken to her, and she believed 
he could have reached her had he tried, she felt- 
piqued toward him. “I mean, of course, if he 
knew me at all,” she hurried to correct her own 
thoughts. Her great sympathy for her first lover 
would not allow her to find fault with him, and 
she reproached herself for it, if for only a moment 
she blamed him. “The time was when the larg- 
est crowd that might be gathered together, would 
not have kept him away from me,” she said, the 
feeling of resentment returning, “and if he has 
forgotten my face within four years, it cannot 
be possible that my image was very deeply en- 
graved upon his mind,” and with this imputation 
of his forgetfulness, came immediately the excuse 
that she herself had changed and that she should 
not expect those who had not seen her in years to 
know her. “I am sorry I did not get to speak to 
him, for now that I am away from St. Louis, it 
may be a long time before I have another oppor- 
tunity,” she thought, with a sigh that caused her 
companion to turn and look at her. 

Returning from church her escort introduced 
her to Professor and Mrs. Lamar'ing, who had 
arrived at the hotel during their absence. The 


121 


The Seal of Destiny. 

professor was a young man, not yet in his thir- 
ties^ with handsome features, dark hair and ex- 
pressive brown eyes that silently spoke of a kind 
and gentle nature. "Our school commences to- 
morrow, Miss Townsley,” Professor Lamar'ing 
said. “Do you think you will be rested enough to 
take a class? I have a number of pupils who are 
not advanced enough to be entered in the higher 
classes but w r ho will, by having the proper atten- 
tion, be ready by the close of the first term to take 
their place with them, and these young people I 
intend to put in your care, and I believe that un- 
der your instruction, I will soon see an improve- 
ment in them.” 

Alta wondered if he thought the trip from St. 
Louis was going to tire her so much that now, on 
the fifth day, she would still feel the effects of 
it, and if so, how, she wondered, did he expect her 
to stand the fatigue of a winter’s teaching? “It 
shows how thoughtful he is of others,” she said, 
and a thrill of pleasure filled her heart that she 
would so soon be about the work she loved so much, 
that of delving into the mysteries of plant life 
and instructing others in it. 

Since her separation from Winifred, Alta had 
never ceased longing for the companionship of 
some quiet, sensible girl of about her own age, 
who would be interested in the things she liked, 
but among all- the people she had met, her soul’s 
great yearning had never been satisfied, and she 
had about given up the hope of ever meeting a 
person who would be perfectly congenial, and had 
turned her attention instead to books, hoping to 
find between their covers that which she had been 


122 The Seal of Destiny. 

disappointed in finding in life. But after watch- 
ing and waiting and hoping for years, she was 
at last to find that which her soul longed for in 
the person of a young woman to whom she was in- 
troduced the first week she was in the Springs. 
This girl’s name was Cora Alice Cole, and as soon 
as Alta had conversed awhile with her she knew 
she should like her. 

Miss Cole was gentle, refined and dignified, and 
was loved by all who knew her. She never let 
an opportunity pass to speak a word or do an act 
of kindness, and like Alta, she sought to under- 
stand the disposition of each individual with 
whom she came in contact that she might make 
herself agreeable to them. Striving to understand 
each other as they did, she and Alta soon realized 
that their lives were very congenial. 

This new-found friend was a student of botany, 
and her interest in the science was the cordon 
about Miss Townsley’s heart that satisfied it and 
there she let it rest. 

Mr. Rhey had not known Alta long before he 
became her constant attendant, and if not attend- 
ing some social function with her, he would spend 
the evenings at the hotel. As the weather grew 
cold and the wide verandas became, as he ex- 
pressed it, to Alta’s confusion, “blustery enough 
to blow one’s love to atoms,” he would sit near 
her in the parlor, many times both intent upon 
solving some problem in their study or both might 
be perusing some treatise on botany. It seemed to 
make no difference to the young man whether she 
strove to be entertaining or preferred to be quiet, 
he was content if only in her presence. 


123 


The Seal of Destiny. 

If her employer should happen in while they 
were thus engaged, he would glance significantly 
at his wife. 

“It seems that Miss Townsley does not need to 
spend her time in an effort to entertain Mr. Rhey,” 
he remarked one evening to Mrs. Lamar'ing, notic- 
ing how quiet they were. 

“No, if all men were so easily entertained, it 
would be less work for us,” she answered. 

The large circle of friends who had always de- 
pended upon Mr. Rhey to help out any social gath- 
ering with his pleasing ways and disposition to 
make others happy, soon found if they would have 
him among them as before, they must make a spe- 
cial request that he bring Miss Townsley ; so dur- 
ing the winter they frequently went out together, 
and while Alta enjoyed society, yet many times 
she would have excused herself and remained in 
the quiet of her own room, only she knew it would 
disappoint Mr. Rhey. 

At an entertainment one evening, while convers- 
ing with her escort upon the subject, Miss Towns- 
ley discovered that he was possessed of a nature 
peculiarly adapted to music, with an ear ex- 
tremely sensitive to a discord and the strains must 
be perfect to not jar upon his nerves. Filled 
with admiration for his knowledge of, and the 
fluency with which he handled that or any ether 
subject which he chose to discuss, and thinking 
what a pleasure it was to be so gifted, a sense 
of disappointment took possession of her that she 
could not claim something of such talent for her 
own ; but underlying this was a feeling hardly per- 
ceptible, yet she knew it was there, that she might 


124 The Seal of Destiny. 

not please him, that he might not be satisfied 
with her when he learned that she had no talent 
for music; then thinking what a foolish thing it 
was for her to waste thought upon, founded as it 
was on vague uncertainty, and remembering that 
Cora Alice was a pianist, she excused herself and 
went to find her friend. Bringing her to where 
Mr. Rhey stood waiting, she said, after having 
introduced them, “I think you will find Miss Cole’s 
tastes very much in unison with yours, Mr. Rhey, 
in regard to music, and wherever that is to be one 
of the features of an entertainment, you will al- 
ways find her, for she has both love and talent for 
it, while I have neither inclination toward it 
nor understanding of it.” 

“I am sorry to hear you say this, Miss Towns- 
ley,” he answered. And Alta knew from the tone 
that the remark had not been indifferently made. 
Her quick conception had detected the disappoint- 
ment in his voice. 

"I am sorry to hear you say this,” he repeated ; 
then continued, “I am always sorry to hear any 
one say they do not care for music, for I think they 
are missing the best thing in life, and do not 
know they are missing it.” 

“Well, if they are not aware of what they are 
missing, wily, you know, ignorance is bliss,” Alta 
said, smiling at his mistake. 

“I will admit it,” Mr. Rhey replied, smiling 
down upon her ; “but putting it in a different form, 
if you will allow me, I feel sorry for them be- 
cause the best part of life has been denied those 
who are so constituted that they cannot appreciate 
harmony, and I wish for my sake, Miss Towns- 


The Seal of Destiny. 125 

ley, you would get to work and cultivate a love 
for the soul inspiring art.” 

“I am afraid it is too late in life for me to be- 
gin now,” she answered, the smile giving way to 
an expression of sadness, and all the rest of the 
evening she was unhappy, though with her usual 
tact she kept others from suspecting it. And after 
this she always turned Mr. Rhey over to Miss Cole 
if she could find any excuse for doing so. 

Not until Miss Townsley had reached the Hot 
Springs and seen the lofty hills that encircle the 
city, did she remember that her going there was 
bringing her back into the Ozarks, although into 
a different spur of the range, but no sooner did 
she awaken to the fact than all the old love for 
rambling returned, and many pleasant hours she 
had either alone or with her class as they climbed 
the wooded hills in search of specimens from 
which to have a lesson. One day in particular, 
she always remembered, because on returning to 
the hotel, she found Mr. Rhey there waiting to 
see her, and his cutting remarks nettled her and un- 
folded to her the fact that with all his embel- 
lishments, her lover had a goodly share of jeal- 
ousy buried underneath. She had gone alone be- 
yond the city limits, and was looking for wild- 
flowers by the wayside, when unexpectedly she 
came upon her employer out like herself search- 
ing for plants. As she came around a clump of 
undergrowth and caught the first sight of him, 
he stood looking down at a bunch of flowers that 
grew leaning over a pool, which clearly reflected 
their white petals and yellow stamen. Coming 


126 The Seal of Destiny - . 1 

up to him, she said, after her greeting, “May I 
ask what you are so interestedly studying ?” 

“Certainly,” he answered pleasantly. “I was in- 
terested in a specimen of a plant of which I have 
seen but few lately.” 

“Judging from the way they bow to their re- 
flection in the water, they are very vain,” Alta re- 
turned. 

“Yes, since you have mentioned it, I will ad- 
mit that I was just comparing them to some of 
the vainer members of your sex, who, proud of 
their complexions, seldom weary of admiring them 
in the mirror.” This was said with a sparkle of 
mischief in the expressive brown eyes, and a back- 
ward motion of the head that was peculiar to him, 
and gave him a dignified air. 

“I am glad to hear you say some of my sex, 
which gives me the opportunity of taking it for 
granted that you do not make the mistake of so 
severely judging of all of us.” 

“JSo,” Professor Lamar'ing answered, amused at 
Alta’s quick exception to, and correction of his 
rather bold assertion, “I could never think for a 
moment of including Miss Townsley in the num- 
ber ; her life is too busy and useful for her to share 
many thoughts upon her personal appearance. How- 
ever, there are few ladies in the Springs who com- 
mand more admiration than does my much ap- 
preciated assistant.” 

Pleased with this unexpected compliment, Alta 
turned and walked back toward the hotel with 
him, while he took the opportunity to instruct 
her about the plants that grew by the way, ex- 
plaining their habits, telling her to what family 


127 


The Seal of Destiny. 

they belonged, and analyzing them to the mi- 
nutest details. Listening with pleasure to the in- 
struction thus so freely given, she wondered with 
profound respect, at the depths of his knowl- 
edge. 

“Are you tired, Miss Townsley ?” he asked. “If 
so we will rest before going farther.” It was this 
thoughtfulness toward every one that had won for 
the professor the love and respect of all his pupils 
and acquaintances, and Alta was not long in his 
employ until she became attached to him and 
showed her appreciation of all the kind atten- 
tion he gave her by striving to properly instruct 
and advance the class which he had entrusted to 
her. Feeling as she did toward her employer, 
made her the more keenly resent her lover’s accu- 
sation a few moments thereafter. 

Going up the steps with Professor Lamar'ing, 
Alta did not notice Mr. Rhey sitting near one end 
of the gallery, until coming up to her, he said, with 
a forced smile, “You and the professor seem to 
be the best of friends, and I am inclined to 
think that he gets more than his share of your 
time.” 

Not wishing to have any unpleasant words with 
the young man, Alta answered indifferently, “Yes, 
I hope we are friends. 1 like him very much. 
He reminds me of a friend I once had, a Mr. Wil- 
son, to whom I first dared to make known my in- 
terest in botany. This young man was a law stu- 
dent and aspiring as he was to a profession, he 
thought every one desiring an education ought 
to be encouraged, and I have always given him 
the credit for my success, although he does not 


128 The Seal of Destiny. 

know it. I was a very ignorant country girl at 
that time and the advice he gave, has certainly 
proved very valuable to me.” 

“How long has it been since you met this friend 
whom you appreciate so much?” Mr. Rhey asked, 
with jealousy rankling in his heart. 

“I think it must be five years since I last saw 
him,” she answered, making an effort to be pleas- 
ant. 

“I think if five years have passed since Miss 
Townsley has met this gentleman, she might afford 
to drop his now from among the long list of names 
enrolled as friends, and in its place put down that 
of one who can be of more immediate service to 
her.” 

Detecting the tone of irony in his voice and feel- 
ing somewhat irritated at the unjustness of his 
insinuation, Alta answered rather curtly, so much 
so that the sharpness of her voice surprised her: 
“Mr. Rhey is entirely mistaken in my disposition, 
if he thinks I drop those whom I consider friends 
because of long separation, to make place for 
newer and nearer friendships. I have always 
thought my heart was large enough to extend 
its warmth to all, but perhaps I have given myself 
credit for having more affection than is really 
there. You know we do not see ourselves as 
others see us.” 

It was now the young man’s turn to be 
nettled, and rising to take his leave, with a coldly 
polite bow, peculiar to him when displeased, lie 
said, with an angry gleam in his eye: 

“'Perhaps when Miss Townsley reconsiders her 
statement, just made, that she thinks she has 


129 


The Seal of Destiny. 

room in her heart for all, she will by close scrutiny 
discover that she has no place there for the one 
who has no room in his heart for any one but her- 
self.” And not giving the astonished girl time 
to answer, he turned and left without even bidding 
her good-by. 

Walking down the street, the soft breeze fan- 
ning his flushed brow, the angry man was soothed 
by gentle spring’s caress, and after having gone 
a few blocks, he paused and turned about, then 
stopped to think a moment. “What a fool I have 
been. I might as well admit it,” he said, as he 
stood thinking. “Iam jealous of Professor Lamar' 
ing, because he has a chance to enjoy so much more 
of Miss Townsley’s society than I do. I suppose 
now,” he continued as he felt an ache at his heart, 
“I have lost her entirely by my haste. I will go 
back at once and beg reconciliation. I will tell her 
the fault was all my own, and tell her too, that she 
is the dearest one in the world to me, and the only 
woman who can make my life complete.” 

However, reconsidering it, the perturbed man 
said, “No, I will not go back now, for I presume 
Miss Townsley has gone to her room to rest, and 
should I send up my card, she would probably re- 
fuse to see me, but I will go home and write her 
a note.” Hurrying homeward he surprised friends 
and acquaintances, whom he met, by his rapid walk 
and non-recognition of them, and some turned to 
look after him, wondering what was troubling the 
polished Mr. Rhey, who was usually so dignified. 
Reaching home he wrote the following letter: 


130 The Seal of Destiny. 

“My dear Miss Townsley : I feel that instead 
of making known to yon the place you fill in my 
heart, although unconscious of it yourself, and of 
which I called this afternoon purposely to tell you, 
I have made known to you one of the most dis- 
agreeable traits of my disposition, that of jeal- 
ousy. I am surprised at my own impulsiveness; 
and why I grew angry when you spoke so nicely 
of your former friend, Mr. Wilson, is more than 
I can say, only I was disappointed at not finding 
you in. It was not my intention to hurt your feel- 
ings, — no indeed, for nothing could have been 
further from me, they are too precious to me to 
be handled rudely; but doubtless you thought it 
was. And now, my treasure, may I, while humbly 
begging your forgiveness for the offence, say that 
with you alone rests all my future happiness or 
woe, that my gifted Miss Townsley is all the 
world to me, and every pleasant hour I spend in 
her society only strengthens my determination to 
some day claim her as my own/’ 

Safe in her room, Alta gave herself up to con- 
siderable agitation, for one of her usual self- 
control, while she pressed her hands to her temples 
in vain endeavor to stop the throbbing there. She 
was provoked with Mr. Rhey for the reference 
he had made to her employer and her sensitive 
feelings were hurt by his abrupt leave-taking. 
The rapid pulsation of her heart, however, was 
caused by a prescience that the young man was 
going to make her a proposition of marriage, when 
he found it convenient to do so. 


The Seal of Destiny. 131 

“I had as well give him the opportunity he 
seeks and have it over with, and in the meantime, 
I will have my answer prepared/’ she said, her feel- 
ing of resentment giving place to one of sym- 
pathy for him. 


132 


The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER XII. 

A refined and polished man, Professor Lamar'- 
ing never for a moment forgot his gallantry to- 
ward the fair sex, while his courtesy to his wife 
was marked, his kind attention to her at all times 
leading others to think that she was the queen of 
his heart. Although his consideration of and care 
for her was always comparable to a father’s tender 
treatment of a child rather than a husband’s at- 
titude toward a wife, and no one noticed these 
things more than did Alta, who, boarding at the 
same hotel, saw a great deal of their home life. 
But with all his thoughtful care of her, the pro- 
fessor never approached her as a companion or in 
any way let her know his business affairs, because 
he had found out long since that she was not in- 
terested. If when overworked and very tired he 
longed to have her show some interest in his af- 
fairs, in so far at least as to express sympathy and 
offer some advice, as he had known other women 
do for their husbands, feeling if she would it would 
rest and encourage him, he immediatelv dismissed 
the thought with a sigh, knowing it was a craving 
that would never be satisfied. 

Alta’s impression was that Mrs. Lamar'ing was 
a nice little woman, but not in the least congenial 


133 


The Seal of Destiny. 

to her husband. Why a man of his ability and 
education should marry a woman simply because 
she had a pretty face and figure was a question 
she could not understand. One thing she did 
understand, however, was that their love for each 
other was only platonic. 

Her keen understanding of human nature gave 
her an insight into the hidden life of those about 
her, and many times she could have told them 
of some individuality, the knowledge of which 
they thought was in their possession only, while 
she had only to see married people in each other’s 
society very few times to know whether their lives 
were in unison. 

“They have made a mistake in their marriage, 
as thousands are doing every day, because they 
have not looked into the question of whether they 
were created for each other,” she said. Had Pro- 
fessor and Mrs. Lamar'ing known that Miss 
Townsley accredited them with what she termed 
only surface love for each other, they would have 
protested against her decision, and declared that a 
more profound love than they had toward one 
another could not be found. 

At the close of his school days young Lamar'ing 
had returned home and lived with his mother, who 
was a widow, while he was her only child. With 
a beautiful home in a Southern city and being de- 
voted to his mother, the young .man gave no 
thought to marriage. Having spent his time since 
childhood with books — first as student, then as 
teacher — he had never mingled in society, and 
therefore had not many lady acquaintances, and 
always appeared- rather indifferent to the few he 


134 The Seal of Destiny. 

had. After a few years of this quiet, peaceful 
life, death robbed him of his mother, leaving him 
for months disconsolate. 

Health, yielding to the depressive weight of sor- 
row, became undermined, and young Lamar'ing’s 
physician said : “Take a trip to the Hot Springs 
of Arkansas and recuperate before you undertake 
to resume your work, or you will break completely 
down.” 

This piece of advice the young man had fol- 
lowed, and mingling with the heterogeneous crowd 
that thronged the streets and hotels of that famous 
watering-place for a few weeks had diverted his 
mind, and thus, while in a measure relieving the 
pain at his heart, had given his system a chance 
to regain its strength, and as a natural result 
health returned. Going back to his home he re- 
sumed his duties, and in course of time grew ac- 
customed to his mother’s absence. 

As the years passed, assuaging his grief to some 
extent, a lonely, despondent feeling settled upon 
him, and tiring of this quiet, uncompanionable 
life in a large house, with no one but an old serv- 
ant who had been with them for years, the pro- 
fessor turned his thoughts upon marriage. Once 
it occurred to him that it would be better for him 
to have a wife to preside over his home, he went 
without further questioning to see a lady whom he 
had known all his life. As children they had 
played with each other and later had gone to school 
together through all the -years devoted to study, 
and, in fact, had never been separated; so were 
like brother and sister. An interested public had 
long since singled this young lady out as a future 


153 


The Seal of Destiny. 

bride for young Lamar'ing, but as months passed 
and the two seemed to be no nearer a union than 
they had been for years, people lost interest in the 
hoped-for affair, thinking how foolish some folks 
are to never be able to see what is best for them. 

Finding the young lady in the grounds about 
her father’s house, Professor Lamar'ing went to 
her and without the preliminary of a morning 
greeting, opened his subje by saying: 

“Do you know, I have decided to marry. Since 
being deprived of my mother I have found that a 
home over which no lady presides is no home at 
all, and 1 suppose, after an acquaintance covering 
nearly a lifetime, it is hardly necessary for me to 
tell you that you' alone from among my friends 
can make me happy by consenting to become my 
bride and coming into my home to brighten and 
cheer it for me. What do you think of the proposi- 
tion ?” lie asked, looking into her fair face. 

And without the least confusion she said: “I 
will ask papa and see what he says about it.” 

Returning from their wedding tour, the pro- 
fessor gave the reins of government into his wife’s 
hands and settled down to his books again, glad 
that it was over with, while he scarcely realized 
that he had a wife, so little of her society did he 
have; and as he returned to his studies Mrs. La- 
mar'ing went back to her novel reading, a pastime 
of which she was very fond. Never having loved, 
herself, she found pleasure in reading of the great 
passions of others, and always on finishing a book 
a feeling of disappointment would possess her that 
such things did not happen in life, which was proof 
that she yearned, for a stronger, more ardent love 


130 The Seal of Destiny. 

than that which her husband bestowed upon her. 
Going about superintending her housework, she 
tried to make herself believe she was happy and 
that she had as much love as any woman received 
from a husband, for married men are busy and have 
not as much time to give to sentiment as the young 
men we read about in romance, “and there- 
fore should she be content,” she would reason to 
herself. While the professor’s love for his wife 
was of a very mild type, he would have been un- 
happy had he known she was not satisfied with 
it, and yet should he have found it out he could 
not have helped matters. If the love was not in 
his heart he could not create it there. 

A year or two after his marriage Professor La- 
mar'ing closed his home in his native city and, re- 
turning to the Hot Springs, opened the school, 
which had now increased its number of pupils, 
necessitating an assistant. 

Feeling that for the first time within his recol- 
lection he had disgraced himself by being rude to 
a lady, and filled with regret, Mr. Rhey wondered 
if any apology he could offer would secure the of- 
fended one’s forgiveness, restore him in her favor 
or win back the friendship he had, as he thought, 
so suddenly lost. He had magnified his fault until 
he hardly hoped for Alta’s forgiveness, when had 
he known it, she, with naught but the kindest feel- 
ing toward him, smiled as she remembered how ir- 
ritable he had been. 

Destroying the note he had written her, Mr. 
Rhey, suffering as such strong and affectionate 
natures can suffer when under self-condemnation. 


137 


The Seal of Destiny. 

called early at the hotel. lie had only entered 
Mrs. Lamar'ing’s parlor, when he saw Alta, look- 
ing fresh and smiling, coming in at the opposite 
door. She had felt certain he would call during 
the day, but w r as surprised to see him there before 
the breakfast hour. 

“You are out early, Mr. Rhey,” she said, after 
a pleasant greeting, advancing toward him and 
offering her hand as she spoke. 

Surprised at her graciousness the young man 
grasped her hand, saying: “Is it possible, Miss 
Townsley, that after my rudeness of yesterday 
afternoon you hold no resentment against me ?” 

“Certainly not, why should I?” Alta answered, 
arching her brows. “I saw you were not in the 
best of humor, but you know we all have our cross 
da} r s ; it is human nature, I think.” 

“Whether it is human nature or not, I wish to 
beg your pardon. Miss Townsley. I want your 
forgiveness for my rudeness.” 

“Why do you humiliate yourself to ask my par- 
don when we have both just said it was only a 
demonstration of human nature ?” she asked, smil- 
ing, yet feeling sorry for him, because he looked 
so downcast. 

“But I had no business to allow human nature 
to get the best of me in the matter, and I will 
have no peace of mind till I hear you say you have 
reinstated me in your friendship,” the persistent 
lover said. 

Seeing she must to please him, Alta replied: 
“Then, Mr. Rhey, since you will have it so, III 
forget the error that you insist upon believing you 
have committed, but I am not admitting that I 


13 8 


The Seal of Destiny. 

think I have any reasons for making the state- 
ment. Now are you satisfied, and shall we con- 
sider the friendship repaired?” she said, smiling 
tip at him as she slipped her hand through his 
arm. Looking down into her face his whole soul 
went out to her, and without a word he pressed 
her to his heart with such vehemence that when 
he unfolded his arms from about her she staggered, 
and seating herself in a convenient chair, panted 
from exhaustion. 

Bending over her the passionate man declared 
his love, declared also his intention of claiming 
her as his own in such emphatic terms that Alta 
was too astonished to say a word. 

“I have loved you,” he said, “since early in our 
acquaintance, and every time I have been in your 
society I felt my love increasing, till now it has be- 
come an all-absorbing, an all-consuming flame 
that will not be quelled. What have you to say, 
my treasure ? Have you any encouragement to of- 
fer me?” 

“I am afraid not,” she answered, rising and lay- 
ing her hand upon his arm. “I am afraid I could 
never give you the love your soul would crave and 
I know would never be satisfied without.” She 
spoke gently and without agitation, for his pas- 
sionate appeal had awakened her sympathies. See- 
ing the shade of disappointment that overcast his 
features, her heart went out to him in pity and, 
overcome with sadness, she laid ter head upon his 
shoulder and let her tears flow freely for a mo- 
ment or two, while the lover, folding his arms 
about her and silently waiting for her to grow 
calm, was thinking there were few things he would 


139 


The Sea! of Destiny. 

not sacrifice if in exchange he conld have the 
privilege of keeping her there always — the pleasure 
of knowing that she was his, and that no one 
could take her from him. 

Raising her head from his shoulder and drying 
her tears, she said: “Let me go, please. I wish a 
few moments alone before I go to my work.” 

Taking his arms from about her, he asked: 
“You have not yet been to breakfast ?” 

“No, but I do not care for any,” she answered, 
making an effort to remain calm. 

“Nor have I,” he said, and slipping her hand 
through his arm he continued : “I could not al- 
low you to go and teach all the morning without 
taking something, so come with me, dear, and we 
will have coffee together.” 

Wishing with all her heart that she was out of 
liis presence and in the seclusion of her own room, 
but having no excuse for leaving him, she accom- 
panied him to the breakfast room, and for his 
sake drank the coffee he ordered for her. 

No sooner had Alta entered the schoolroom 
than her employer saw she had been weeping. 
Knowing that Mr. Rhey had made her an early 
call, he wondered if his friend had been the cause 
of the tears. He hoped not, for he had thought 
since first he saw them together what a desirable 
union they would make. He had his heart quite 
fixed upon it, and he felt that he would be dis- 
appointed should they never marry. With his 
usual thoughtfulness, the professor said as he dis- 
missed the school for the noon hour : “If you are 
not feeling well, Miss Townsley, yon may have a 
half holiday.” 


140 The Seal of Destiny. 

“I hope,” Alta said, as she locked herself in her 
room, “that Mr. Ehey will not feel encouraged 
from my weeping upon his bosom this morning, for 
those tears were shed simply because I lost control 
of myself; and it seems to me they have been 
striving to escape their fountainhead ever since. 
Mr. McLenden had his feelings hurt toward me.” 
With the thought of this former suitor, she gave 
a start, then continued her soliloquy: “When he 
loved me and I saw the sad results of the unreci- 
procity I vowed to never again allow any man to 
love me under those conditions, and l.ow, so soon, 
I am guilty of a repetition of the same careless- 
ness, for instead of discouraging him from the 
first, I have allowed Mr. Rhey to visit me as often 
as he wished, while I have gone out with him and 
enjoyed his society, and never once, until recently, 
have I thought what it was all leading him to hope 
for. It is my fault and not his that he loves me, 
and I can find no excuse whatever for myself. 

“And although enjoying his society I have never 
been conscious of that influence which draws souls 
to each other. That the powers potentially exist- 
ing in two natures that must silently communi- 
cate to stimulate the heart to love does not exist 
between his and mine I can believe, and the fact 
that my nature does not respond to his convinces 
me that we were not predestined for each other. 
That the Creator, who imbued us with these latent 
forces, which are only incited to action when cor- 
relatives meet, has not yet seen fit to bring about 
that meeting between me and mine I am certain, 
and I am also certain that when that event does 
occur I will be conscious of it,” 


141 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Alta knew from the general sentiment expressed 
among her acquaintances when Mr. Rhey was the 
subject of comment that there was not one who 
would refuse him should he offer his hand in mar- 
riage, and she knew, too, that envy rankled in 
many hearts toward her for having come among 
them a stranger and, as they said, taken their best 
beau from them. Such remarks were always made 
in a light strain, but there was, only half hidden, 
resentment underneath, and she expected those 
game fair ones to call her a heartless flirt and 
worse than a crank when they learned that she had 
refused his offer of marriage — not that she ex- 
pected to inform the public of it — “no, never. 
The love of an honorable man is too sacred to be 
thus lightly handled/’ she said emphatically, but 
she was only interesting herself in making com- 
parisons of her disposition in regard to matri- 
mony, and that cf her acquaintances. “Besides,” 
she said, “these things will leak out in spite of our 
precaution, and it will be almost impossible for 
Mr. Rhey to keep the truth of my refusal from his 
friends.” 

Wishing her lover would not call again until 
his ardor had somewhat cooled, Alta said musing- 
ly: “I wonder if it would do anv good to send 
him a note asking him to stay away.” Hesitating 
only a moment, she took her pen and wrote her 
lover, saying: 

“My dear Friend: I understand from your 
last remark this morning as you bade me good- 
by that you intend pressing your suit, and having 
thought it over seriously, I find I cannot change 


142 The Seal of Destiny. 

my decision in regard to your proposal. While 
you have my highest esteem and the assurance of 
my friendship always, more than this I can never 
give. I shall be pleased to see you any time as a 
friend, but if on the contrary you feel that being 
in my presence would impel you to a renewal of 
your offer, I should consider it more of a kindness 
for you to remain away a few days, at least, until 
you have calmly made up your mind to accept 
things as they are and must remain.” 

"It must frequently happen,” she said, resum- 
ing her thinking, "that in finding one’s affinity 
there are obstacles in the way of one claiming 
one’s own. I will remain unmarried all my days 
before I will unite my life to one that I am not 
sure is he to whom destiny is leading me. Yet 
may heaven forbid that I should ever be the cause 
of trouble between a husband and wife, if per- 
chance I should be unfortunate, as many are, in 
finding that the one whom my soul is seeking be- 
longs, according to the laws of the country, to an- 
other, who is resting under the delusion that she 
alone has claim upon him, which is true in so far 
as the material is concerned ; but what of the soul, 
the comprising of which includes all that is worth 
claiming — the sentiments, the faculties and all the 
powers that direct the actions, even to the heart, 
whose every pulsation is in unison with its pre- 
destined affinity, though the subject may be un- 
conscious of it? 

"Heaven forbid ” she repeated with solemn ear- 
nestness. "Should it prove to be so, while I would 
love him none the less ardently, no living being 


143 


The Seal of Destiny. 

should ever know of my love.” She said this with 
emphasis, for she knew her strong nature and the 
reliance she could place thereupon under the most 
trying ordeal. “Why it is that sometimes two will 
meet and at once mutually understand that their 
fate is sealed, while others may be months in find- 
ing it out is the only thing in regard to my idea 
of marriage founded upon predestination that is 
left without a satisfactory explanation,” she said 
dreamily, then continued : “But whatever the inter- 
mediate proceedings, the finale is always the same ; 
a questioning look into each other’s eye and 
through the iris into the very depths of the soul; 
and they each read there something that surprises 
and delights, though it may go unacknowledged, 
save by the imperceptible and involuntary com- 
munication of soul to soul.” 

Mr. Rhey’s feelings were hurt that Miss Towns- 
ley should request him to either stay away or 
come only as a friend, but he was more disap- 
pointed that she could not change her mind in 
regard to her disposition toward himself. “I shall 
respect her wish and not call for a few days. This 
will give her time to think of the offer I have 
made her of my hand and fortune. Perhaps when 
she reconsiders it she will see fit to give me more 
encouragement, and in the meantime I shall try 
and content myself by writing her a letter,” and 
going to his library, he wrote the following rather 
overdrawn and impulsive reply to her quiet and 
unimpassioned note : 

“My very dear Miss Townsley : I have re- 
ceived your letter, w’hich, although discouraging 


144 The Seal of Destiny. 

in the extreme, has not induced me to give up hope 
that some day you will consent to seal my happi- 
ness by becoming mine, for you need not think for 
a moment that you can escape me. No, indeed, my 
treasure, and should you try it your attempt would 
be futile, for sooner or later I would find you and, 
while pressing you to my heart, make you listen to 
my vows of love and impassioned declaration that 
you shall be mine in spite of all your protests to 
the contrary. Although the Everglades of Florida, 
the Okefinokee swamps of Georgia and the Death’s 
Valley of California were all combined and placed 
in position to separate us, they would not in the 
least daunt me, but on the contrary would only 
stimulate me to greater action in my determina- 
tion to reach you, to caress you and fold you to 
my heart.” 

When Alta read this letter, written, as she at 
once understood, in one of her lover’s impulsive 
moments, she smiled and said: 

"Well, according to this, I am not going to get 
away from him as easily as I did from Mr. 
McLenden. With all his impetuosity and passion- 
ate speeches, he does not love me as deeply as did 
my former suitor, with his more quiet and sincere 
way of telling me of it,” she mused, while a shade 
of sadness settled upon her features. “Were I to 
accept either of them for the sake of being mar- 
ried, I would wed Mr. McLenden, who impressed 
me as one whose love would be more lasting than 
will that of my present impetuous suitor. I feel 
certain that within a few months Mr. Rhey will 
be just as madly in love with some other girl as 


The Seal of Destiny. 145 

he now is with me, while my artist lover could 
not so easily change or transfer his affections from 
me to some one else.” 

“Mr. Rhey has asked me to accompany him on 
a pleasure trip to-morrow and has extended the in- 
vitation to you also if you will come with us,” 
Cora Alice said as she came into Alta’s room a few 
days after. Noticing the ring of gladness in the 
speaker’s voice x\lta looked up with a searching 
glance at the face, with its pleased expression. 

“She loves Mr. Rhey,” she said to herself. “I 
do not believe she knows that the one to whom she 
has given her love has given his to me. She is too 
sensible to allow herself to become attached to one 
whom she knew had bestowed his love elsewhere.” 

Dressed in a becoming material, which by con- 
trast enhanced the carmine in her cheeks, while 
the pleasure caused by the invitation was dis- 
cernible in the expression of her eye, Miss Cole 
looked beautiful enough for any one to love. 

“I hope Air. Rhey does not find it out,” was 
Alta’s comment as she stood admiring her friend, 
“lest, feeling as he does toward me, he might think 
best to discourage her, and I should regret to see 
her summer’s happiness spoilt by his neglecting 
her. It will be a pleasure to me to bring them to- 
gether,” she said, “and as often as I can manage 
it with discretion I will do so. It will be the 
means of helping Mr. Rhey to live down his dis- 
appointment over myself.” 

After a fortnight, during which he had found 
it impossible to interest himself in anything or 
anybody, Mr. Rhey determined to call upon Alta. 


146 The Seal of Destiny. 

It was a soft warm day, in the earlv spring, and 
with a heart full to overflowing with love for 
nature, Alta was thinking to go L a ramble over 
the hills, when Mrs. Lamar'ing came to her door 
and said : “We are going to the woods this after- 
noon and the professor sent me up to invite you 
to come with us. He wishes to study a certain 
plant which he thinks must be through the ground 
by this time and he wants you to have a lesson 
from it als~ ” 

Delighted with the prospect of having company 
for her walk, Miss Townsley descended the stairs 
with Mrs. Lamar'ing. Reaching the parlor, where 
the professor awaited them, Alta gave a slight 
start when she saw Mr. Rhey, but instantly con- 
trolling herself, she advanced, and with the sweetest 
dignity extended her hand. Not sure of what 
his reception would be, her lover allowed her to 
almost reach him before it occurred to him that 
courtesy would demand that he ri:e and go for- 
ward, which he did, however, just in time to save 
himself from appearing rude to the professor’s 
quick notice. 

The professor suggested to his wife that they sit 
on the veranda for awhile and, taking her arm, 
they left the room, a move that Mr. Rhey was 
hoping they would make and Miss Townsley was 
hoping they would not make, as she did not care 
to see her lover alone. No sooner were they 
through the door than Mr. Rhey said : “I have 
called to ask you to go driving with me this after- 
noon, Miss Townsley, with the understanding that 
you are going with me as a friend. I believe the 


The Seal of Destiny. 147 

conditions were that I could call upon you as 
such.” 

“I am sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Rhey, very 
sorry, indeed, but I have a previous engagement 
with my employer. We are going to the woods to 
have a lesson from a plant he wishes me to know 
more about, and of which, in order to instruct my 
class, I must have a better knowledge. But not 
wishing to spoil your afternoon, will you allow me 
to make a suggestion ?” she said, gently laying her 
hand upon his arm; and that gentleman had to 
call to service all his self-control to keep from 
breaking his vow that he would respect her wish 
and meet her only on the standing of friendship. 

“Certainly,” he said, looking fondly into her 
eyes, “why should you not make any suggestion 
you wish ? You know there is no one more willing 
to listen to what you have to say than am I.” 

Alta would have gone with him, but she feared 
he might again urge his suit and she did not care 
to hear it repeated, so she knew she was speaking 
the truth when she said: “If you wish to please 
me, next to the pleasure of going with you my- 
self, you will take instead my bosom friend.” 

“I am not sure Miss Cole will care to drive with 
me, but if you wish me to take her I shall invite 
her,” Mr. Rhey answered, with a decided tone of 
disappointment in his voice, and rather hastily he 
turned and left the room. 

“Are you ready to come with us ?” the professor 
asked, as Alta joined them on the gallery. He had 
thought possibly Mr. Rhey would claim her for 
the afternoon, and was a little surprised when she 
came out. “I am afraid all is not going well be- 


148 The Seal of Destiny/ 

tween them of late,” was his thought as he gave 
one searching glance at her face. 

The trees were just putting forth their leaves; 
the birds were busy building their nests, which 
when completed showed the work of skilled arti- 
sans; the bees gathered honey from the few flowers 
that had ventured out rather early in the season, 
taking the chance of enduring the still chilly 
night ; and the lichen, always hardy and always an 
interesting study to Alta, was growing in masses 
on some of the forest trees, while the ground was 
covered in places with a rich carpet of dark green 
moss. It was a glorious spring day and, going 
far into the haunts of nature with her employer, 
nothing escaped her notice, and so thoroughly did 
she enjoy all the beautiful budding life about her 
and so interested was she in the information she 
was receiving from the professor, that she had for- 
gotten for the time being the ruffled feelings her 
lover had left her under by his unkind leavetaking. 

“Here is a plant that I am surprised to see so 
early in the season, for we rarely find it until about 
a month later,” Professor Lamar'ing said, ap- 
proaching Alta with a small plant taken up with 
the earth about the roots. “I shall take it home 
and replant it in a pot and let you have it in your 
room to study as it grows. You will notice that the 
leaves are now fully developed, indicating that it 
must have put its head through the ground at 
least a week since, a fact which alone is of interest 
to botanists, and if I fail to see an interesting and 
lengthy article about it in the next month’s issue 
of the Botanical Journal over ’Miss Townsley’s 
gignature I shall be compelled to pronounce that 


The Seal of Destiny. 149 

young lady very negligent of opportunities that 
others would gladly embrace.” 

Professor Lamar'ing was always the same quiet, 
gentle individual, and as over every one, so this 
calm and dignified man had a peculiar influence 
over Alta, and while she was giving her attention 
to what he was explaining, Mrs. Lamar'ing was 
seated on a log enjoying a book, apparently oblivious 
of the presence of her husband and his assistant. 
While they were thus each interested Mr. Rhey 
drove by with Miss Cole, who recognized her friend 
as she passed, but her companion turned his head 
neither to the right or left, an act that caused 
Alta’s eyes to fill with tears, and for awhile she 
was too perturbed to concentrate her thoughts on 
what her employer was saying until she saw that 
his questioning eyes were upon her. 

When Mr. Rhey left Alta to go and find her 
friend, he did not care whether she would drive 
with him or not, for he was both disappointed that 
Miss Townsley had declined to accompany him 
and provoked with her for suggesting that some 
one else could fill her place. He made himself 
very agreeable to Miss Cole, but he was unhappy 
and hoped to make Alta so by ignoring her as he 
passed. 

“Miss Townsley had no business devoting such a 
glorious day to study, when driving through the 
same woods would have been so much more pleas- 
ant and restful ; and especially when she knew that 
by so doing she was spoiling my afternoon,” he 
said, with a feeling of jealousy toward the pro- 
fessor. 

However, instead of getting satisfaction from 


150 The Seal of Destiny. 

the act he only increased his misery and added to 
it an angry feeling toward himself for having 
stooped to do such a thing, and he determinea 
to call upon Alta that evening and learn what her 
disposition toward him was and if she could again 
forgive his rudeness. 


The Seal of Destiny. 


151 


CHAPTER XIII. 

The ability to converse fluently is an accom- 
plishment to be appreciated. Being able to dis- 
cuss a subject intelligently inspires self-confidence 
and makes the speaker comfortably at ease even 
in the society of those whom he recognizes as su- 
periors. 

Alta was a good conversationalist and never, 
when speaking in company, made mistakes or grew 
confused, yet she was inclined to be quiet and 
had rather hear than be heard, while her friend 
was peculiarly gifted in that way and could dis- 
course upon any question with greatest ease, and 
although she had no desire to exhibit this natural 
endowment she could do so, if called upon, without 
the least embarrassment, before any gathering. 
Next to his love for music Mr. Rhey admired a 
good talker, and many times listened in un- 
feigned admiration to Miss Cole as she quietly 
and with perfect rhetoric handled any subject 
upon which the conversation had turned. 

On leaving her after being thus entertained, he 
had been heard to remark in a droll way he had 
of saying things, “Any man who could not love 
that girl has no soul,” but whether he applied this 


152 The Seal of Destiny. 

speech to himself he would not say, when teased 
about it by his friends. 

Feeling tired after her outing, Alta was rest- 
ing on the veranda, when Mr. Rhey, following his 
determination to call upon her, came up the steps. 
Being dusk she did not recognize him until he 
spoke. “I could not make out who you were com- 
ing so directly toward me,” she said, pleasantly, 
rising and reaching him her hand, for instinc- 
tively she felt that he had come to apologize again, 
and she hoped by being pleasant herself, he would 
change his mind and think it unnecessary. 

“The light streaming through the window and 
striking your white dress was as a beacon to me, 
and as I came up the halo about you was so 
strangely beautiful that it was with a feeling of 
awe I approached you,” her lover answered, taking 
her hand. 

“I was not aware that I was awe inspiring,” 
Alta returned, laughing. 

“I owe you an apology, Miss Townsley, and 
while offering it, I wish to beg your forgiveness 
again, this time for the conduct that makes an 
apology necessary.” 

“I would much rather you would not, Mr. Rhey, 
for while I know you left in an unpleasant frame 
of mind this afternoon, it was caused by disap- 
pointment, a feeling which is natural with all 
of us,” she answered, hoping he would say no 
more about it. 

“Will you, instead of trying to excuse me, Miss 
Townsley, tell me if you will forgive me ?” the per- 
sistent lover said. 

“I will forgive on condition that you do not 


153 


The Seal of Destiny. 

place yourself in that position again that you will 
have to come begging my forgiveness, for this is 
the second time, and that is quite enough for you 
to humble yourself,” Alta replied. 

“Now you are laughing at me,” Mr. Rhey said, 
seeing her amused expression, “and to me it is a 
serious affair.” 

“The fact that you are making a serious affair 
out of such an insignificant thing is just what 
amuses me,” she replied, “but since you wish to be 
so serious, I will make an effort to be the same, 
and to change the subject: How did Cora Alice 
enjoy the drive?” 

“She seemed to appreciate it very much; but 
when I am unhappy it is hard for me to make those 
about me believe that I am enjoying myself, and of 
course their knowing it makes them feel the less 
pleasure.” 

“I am sorry you were so unhappy, for it has 
been such a glorious day that it seems a shame to 
not have enjoyed it,” Alta said, with heartfelt 
sympathy. 

“Miss Cole is excellent company,” Mr. Rhey 
continued, ff but she was not the companion 1 
wanted this afternoon. I wanted Miss Towns- 
ley, and no one else. You must know after all 
these months, even had I never told you, that 
my feelings for you are far deeper than that of 
friendship, and while I appreciate Miss Cole 
greatly as a friend, and should be very sorry to 
lose her, I do not set the same value upon her that 
I do upon Miss Townsley, and should she with- 
draw her friendship my misery would know no 
bounds.” 


154 The Seal of Destiny. 

“I do not believe you will ever have any rea- 
son for thinking that such is the case, Mr. Rhey, 
for when once I have given my friendship, it is 
usually extended down through all the years that 
follow.” 

“I suppose it is jealousy, but sometimes I am 
afraid Miss Townsley has allowed her studies to 
absorb her time until she has but little left for 
her friends, and that plant life has become of 
more interest to her than the life of her acquaint- 
ances,” her lover said, looking lovingly into her 
eyes. 

“You mistake me, Mr. Rhey, for I always find 
time to see my friends. No one appreciates their 
friends more than I do,” Alta replied. Seeing 
her companion was still smarting under the dis- 
appointment of the afternoon she knew he would 
not get over it under the present conversation. 
“Ha is like a child,” she thought, “and the only 
way I can get him in a pleasant humor is by divert- 
ing his mind.” 

“I have just received a letter from my brother,” 
she said by way of changing the subject. “He 
is a theological student in an eastern university. 
He expects to devote his life to mission work in 
the slums of large cities and thinks he will find 
as extensive a field for such, in St. Louis, as else- 
where. Do you not think it would be better for 
him to have a vacation before entering upon his 
work?” she asked, scanning his face to see if she 
had struck a subject that would interest Mr. Rhey, 
and was pleased to hear him answer: 

“Certainly I do. There is where many of us 
make mistakes; we study day and night that we 


The Seal of Destiny 155 

may graduate with the honors we covet, and once 
safely beyond this point, fired with new zeal and 
not stopping to question if the brain needs a rest 
we let our ambition to make ourselves heard, or at 
least, heard of in the world, cause us to rush head- 
long into business or professional life, but after 
a few years and sometimes only a few months of 
this heedless career and determination to win pub- 
lic favor we awaken to the fact that brain is not 
made of cast-iron, and that in our maddened rush 
to reach the heights of fame we have overlooked the 
chief support — the one and only thing we have, 
after all, to depend upon to bring us to that much 
longed-for place in life. Surprised and perplexed 
we are compelled to admit that our much abused 
faculties are exhausted, and our brains, of which 
we expected so much, demands a rest thus early 
in life; calmly and deliberately then we view the 
situation and, with the profounder judgment born 
of experience, are forced to admit that we have 
made a mistake, and demanded too much of our 
mental faculties, and I certainly should advise 
your brother to take a rest after leaving school.” 

As the weeks passed, Alta noticed the intervals 
between Mr. Rhey’s visits were lengthening, and 
where once she had seen him every day, she now saw 
him not oftener than once a week 5 and sometimes 
a fortnight would elapse without her seeing him. 

This pleased her very much and especially was 
she pleased when she occasionally heard of him 
having attended some social function in company 
with Miss Cole. “There is nothing would give me 
more pleasure,” she said, “than to know that he 
had transferred his love from me to Cora Alice, 


156 The Seal of Destiny. 

for I think she would reciprocate it, whereas I 
cannot.” 

“Our society is going to give a mid-summer 
concert. We want to get a new carpet for the 
church, and have decided on this plan to raise the 
money for the purpose,” Miss Cole said to Alta 
one day, when visiting with her, “and I have 
promised to undertake the most difficult part of the 
music which has been selected for the occasion.” 

“I am sure they could find no one in the city who 
could better perform the part,” Miss Townsley said, 
“for your thorough knowledge of music, your high 
conception of the art and your executive ability 
will, I feel certain, be appreciated, and I hope you 
will make a supreme effort. Carry your audience 
if possible into unbounded enthusiasm and let this, 
your first appearance before the public as a musi- 
cian, be the making of your reputation as a talented 
artist in that line.” Alta’s object in making this 
reference to her friend’s accomplishment was to 
encourage her to do her best, hoping it would be 
the finishing touch, the last strand woven in the 
cord to draw Mr. Rhey to the girl’s feet, knowing 
as she did that gentleman’s profound love for 
music. 

“You will do your best?” she said, laying her 
hand on her friend’s arm as she rose to take her 
leave; and not suspecting why she was so much 
interested, Miss Cole answered: 

“I certainly shall.” ' 

“I have arranged to close the school the last of 
May, Miss Townsley, and then you will have a vaca- 


157 


The Seal of Destiny. 

tion until the first of September. I notice you 
are beginning to show the need of rest. Lately you 
appear very tired,” Professor Lamar'ing said one 
day, in the early part of May, as he came into the 
parlor and found Alta reclining in a rocker, with 
a magazine in her hand, which she had allowed 
to close on her thumb, while she seemed to be in 
a deep study. Lifting her eyes to his and seeing 
the kindly expression there, Miss Townsley an- 
swered : 

“I shall certainly be glad when the day arrives, 
for I am beginning to long so for freedom ” 

“You are?” the professor asked, in a tone Alta 
could not understand, not giving her a chance to 
finish what she had started to say, which was so 
unlike him. 

“Your speech would lead me to think the school- 
room had been nothing less than a prison to you, 
and you have always led me to believe you enjoyed 
teaching above all other occupations,” her em- 
ployer said, as he turned on his heel and left the 
room, without giving his assistant teacher time to 
recover from her astonishment. For a long time 
Miss Townsley sat as he had left her in a brown 
study. She wondered if it were possible that she 
was mistaken in what she had thought she read 
in both his petulant speech and in his eyes. 

“I hope I am mistaken, but oh, I am afraid 1 
am not,” she said, pressing her palms together, 
while a strange feeling came over her and it was 
only with a great effort she saved herself from 
swooning. “Well,” she mused, “school will soon 
close for the season and Mrs. Lamar'ing has told 
me that she and her husband will spend their 


158 The Seal of Destiny. 

vacation in the east, but I am afraid I must de- 
cline her kind invitation to accompany them, al- 
though I know I should derive great pleasure from 
the trip, and mere than this, it may be possible 
that I must make other arrangements in the 
autumn, though I hope not.” 

Since Mr. Rhey had on the day of her arrival in 
the city brought Miss Townsley to the hotel where 
the Lamar'ings boarded, she had taken a room and 
settled down there, finding it both pleasant and 
convenient to be near her employer and his wife. 

Mrs. Lamar'ing had offered her the use of her 
parlor, and there she had always received Mr. 
Rhey, and others who called upon her, a privilege 
which she appreciated, as it saved her entertain- 
ing her company in the public parlors of the 
hotel. 

“You are looking beautiful this evening,” Mr. 
Rhey said, as he threw a mantle about Miss Cole’s 
shoulders, when she was leaving home for the hall 
where the concert was to be given. At all times 
beautiful, to-night she was unusually so, and as 
the electric light flashed on the diamond ornament 
worn in her hair, when she made her bow, there 
was probably not one in the audience who did not 
pronounce her wonderfully beautiful, while her 
performing virtually lifted the hearers above 
earthly things and carried them to the realms 
where harmony and melody unite and blend in a 
grand concord ; and again and again was the fair 
pianist encored, not, as in many cases, simply as a 
mark of honor, but because the gathering was one 
of cultured music-loving people. However, as she 


159 


The Seal of Destiny. 

could not take up more than her share of the even- 
ing, the last time she was encored she stepped to 
the front of the stage and merely acknowledged 
it with a bow, and this simple act was the winning 
card that brought her the one thing for which she 
had hoped and prayed — the reciprocation of her 
love. Had she failed this evening, she would have 
been crushed with disappointment. 

Mr. Rhey had acknowledged to himself for some 
time a growing interest in Cora Alice, and had 
been debating whether he loved her enough to ask 
her to accept him or not, having no idea what her 
answer might be, however, so well had she suc- 
ceeded in concealing her feeling from him. So 
completely entranced had he been while she was 
performing, that in an ecstasy of delight he said : 
“In all the world Miss Cole is the one whom I can- 
not only love but almost worship. Yet he had 
no intention of proposing to her that evening, un- 
til she stood, a perfect vision, as it were, in a cloud 
of white; and as she bowed her acknowledgment 
of their appreciation, the lover was not alone in 
his admiration, for not one in all that large as- 
sembly failed to in return bow in homage to her 
wonderful talent and wondrous beauty. 

“You are nothing less than an angel this even- 
ing, Miss Cole,” Mr. Rhey said, as he helped her 
into the carriage, “while the music you gave us 
was simply divine. I knew you were educated to 
a high standard as a musician, but I had no idea 
that you could do what you have just done. The 
whole audience gave evidence that they were trans- 
ported to the realms of bliss, and I — I was lost 
to the present, while my very soul was filled with 


160 The Seal of Destiny. 

rapture, and I am proud that I have the honor 
this evening of being the escort of one so gifted/’ 
Mr. Rhey spoke calmly. He was not in the least 
excited, and his great love for music made him al- 
most reverence the woman by his side. 

“Did you see Alta there?” Cora Alice asked. 

“I did, and she looked beautiful. I tried to get 
around to speak to her, but the crowd prevented 
it,” Mr. Rhey answered. 

“In looking over the audience I failed to see 
her. Who was she with? You know the profes- 
sor and his wife have gone east to spend their vaca- 
tion?” Miss Cole said. 

“Yes, I know they have. I did not know the 
gentleman she was with, but I intend to call on her 
to-morrow and find out who he is,” Mr. Rhey re- 
turned. 

With a pang at her heart, Miss Cole, with the 
intuitive powers quickened by love, detected a tone 
of jealousy in his voice. 

“Does it make any difference to you?” The 
question was asked lightly, but the accompany- 
ing smile was only to hide the heartache. How 
many such smiles are given in a day ? How much 
anguish concealed by pleasant words? Who can 
tell? If measuring disappointment were possible 
it would extend tenfold around the globe and, 
cemented at the ends, stand revealed to the world 
an endless chain. 

“I suppose I should not allow it to make any 
difference to me,” Mr. Rhey answered, but in his 
own mind he knew he still loved Miss Townsley 
too much to see her smiling upon others, without a 
jealous feeling. 


161 


The Seal of Destiny. 

"I am glad the evening is over,” Miss Cole said, 
as she threw her wrap on a chair. She spoke in a 
petulant mood, causing her companion to look 
sharply at her. 

“Well, I am not glad it is over,” he answered, 
as he hung his hat on the hall-tree, and turning, 
he said, as he took her arm to lead her into the 
parlor, “I wish to speak to you before bidding you 
good-night, for I am determined to know my fate 
before the evening is over. To me you are a per- 
fect angel to-night, and 'my whole soul has gone 
out to you in love; in fact, I have loved you for 
months, but have been afraid to tell you, lest in 
so doing I might lose you altogether.” Taking 
her hand he pressed a kiss upon it, then feeling 
encouraged from her offering no remonstrance to 
his advances, he suddenly grew vehement, and 
folding his arms about her he passionately de- 
clared his love. “There is no use in your trying to 
resist me, for mine you shall be and mine alone, 
and when your life is a part of mine then I shall 
be supremely happy, but not until then. Do not 
say ‘no/ for I will not take it for an answer,” and 
bending forward with his arm still about her, he, 
while looking into her eyes, read there that which 
she was too confused to say in words. 

Surprised and delighted the ardent lover again 
pressed her to his heart, saying as he did so: 
“To-morrow I will bring you a ring, and once 
that symbol of love is upon your finger I will 
feel that you are more securely mine.” Mr. Rhey 
said this to see if she was going to offer any 
opposition to his love or himself, since she had 
not spoken yet, and as she did not even then, when 


162 The Seal of Destiny. 

given the chance, he asked, holding her at arm's 
length from him, while he looked fondly at her, 
“Am I to consider you mine, darling? 5 ' Blush- 
ing rosy she answered: 

“As you like; 1 have no objection to offer/' while 
a happy smile overspread her face. 

When the best people of Hot Springs had lis- 
tened to Miss Cole's execution of the difficult com- 
position of one of the great masters, the thought 
of many minds was that she must have devoted 
hours of hard study to it, to be able to thus render 
such music to them from memory, when, had they 
known the truth, she had been practising on it for 
weeks, with, however, but one object in view — car- 
ing in a way to please the public and win its 
approval, it is true, but hoping with all lier heart 
that she might please, and not only please, but 
win, both the approval and the love of the one to 
whom she had given her heart's fullest affection; 
and as her tapering fingers touched each key, pro- 
ducing the sound, her heart responded with a throb 
of anguish, lest the one in the audience for whom 
she cared the most, might not, after all, awaken 
to a love of the musician, but only instead to a 
love of the music. 

“I saw you at the concert, but failed to get a 
chance to speak to vou," Mr. Khey said to Alta, 
when he called upon her the next day. “May I 
ask who your escort was?" he continued. 

“Certainly, why should you not ask?" she re- 
plied. 


The Seal of Destiny. 163 

After her telling him who it was, Mr. Rhey said, 
looking very serious: 

“Why do you smile. Miss Townsley?” 

“Shall I tell you?” she returned. 

“Yes, I wish to know or I would not ask.” 

“Well, then, I was smiling at you for so often 
allowing your jealousy to come to the surface.” 

“I presume you know,” he rejoined, “that a very 
wise man once said, ‘There is never jealousy where 
there is not strong regard/ I came to tell you,” 
Mr. Rhey continued, “that Miss Cole has con- 
sented to become my bride, and I have just put 
a diamond on her finger, thus announcing the 
fact to the world.” 

As he spoke he was looking very hard at his 
companion to discover if a shade of disappoint- 
ment might cross her face, but instead was dis- 
appointed himself to see her whole features light 
up with pleasure, while she grasped his hand and 
offered her heartiest congratulations. “You 
might hunt the world over, but you would never 
find a sweeter girl nor a more refined or accom- 
plished one,” she said, her own heart filled to 
overflowing with joy at this happy culmination 
of affairs for which she had hoped so long; but 
all her expressions of approval of the prospec- 
tive union only seemed to make her companion 
feel depressed, and finally he said : 

“She is a sweet girl and I love her with all my 
heart and soul, and I hope she appreciates it 
more than Miss Townsley has ever appreciated 
my love.” 

There was so much of bitterness in the inti- 


164 The Seal of Destiny. 

mated accusation that Alta, feeling the unjust- 
ness of it, resented it by saying: 

“You have no right to accuse me of unappre- 
ciativeness, ; ” struggling, as she spoke, to keep back 
the tears. 

“As long as it is the truth, I think I have a 
right to say it,” he returned. 

Stung to uncontrollable anger at this, Alta 
said: 

“How would you like me to accuse you of un- 
faithfulness, so soon, to Cora Alice?” 

“You cannot do it because I have not been 
unfaithful,” Mr. Rhey retorted, for now it was 
his turn to be angry, and then he continued: 

“It seems impossible for you and I to get along 
without quarreling.” 

“It seems so,” she answered. “I think if we 
were a thousand miles apart it would be better 
for us both, and if you do not leave the Springs 
I shall.” 

Miss Townsley had never in all her life said 
anything she regretted as much as she did the 
words that had just passed her lips. It was so un- 
like her to make bitter speeches, that she was 
astonished at herself. 

Coming to her, Mr. Rhey took her by the two 
arms with a grip that caused pain, but seeing no 
mercy in his eyes, she bore it silently. Lifting 
her as he would a child from her seat, he stood 
her in front of him, and it seemed to her that all 
the fruits of his years of athletic training were 
being expended upon the muscle of her arms near 
the shoulders. With eyes flashing anger, till the 
trembling girl thought his very soul must be on 


165 


The Seal of Destiny. 

fire, he said, stooping enough to look square into 
her eyes, while his voice was unsteady with rage: 

“Do you mean what you have just said, that 
if I do not leave the Springs you will? Answer 
me,” he said, tightening his grip till Alta cried 
out with pain. 

“No, I did not mean it at all, and only said it 
in anger, and regretted it the moment it had 
escaped me ; Mr. Rhey, please let go my arms, you 
are hurting me.” 

•The tears were flowing now, and neither hand 
was at liberty to wipe them away. Relaxing his 
hold a little, Mr. Rhey usually so kind and gentle, 
stood holding the woman he loved to madness, and 
seemed to take a fiendish delight in seeing her 
struggling to free her hands that she might brush 
away her tears. Suddenly, a wave of sympathy 
sweeping over him, he took his hands from her 
arms, and snatching her with great force to his 
breast, said: 

“Shall we be friends now? I intend to hold 
you here until you tell me we shall.” 

“Yes,” she said. Her experience with the man in 
anger had been such that she thought it best to 
make herself as agreeable as possible. “We have 
had our fight and I will acknowledge myself con- 
quered, and am willing to surrender on almost 
any conditions that you may offer.” 

“That sounds more like Miss Townsley,” the im- 
petuous lover said, “and never as long as I live 
will I forget that remark, coming from the source 
it did, for had you stuck a dagger into my heart 
it would not have stung me worse. I would give 
all the world, my treasure, to hear you say you 


166 The Seal of Destiny. 

love me, and yet since I have bound myself to 
another, it would simply break my heart,” Mr. 
Rhey said, to Alta’s great surprise. 

His voice was full of tender emotion now, and 
she felt his arms tightening about her as he 
pressed her to his throbbing heart. 

After a moment of silence, she said: “I do 
not think it is doing justice to Cora Alice for you 
to be thus expressing your love for me, Mr. Rhey, 
so please let me go. Come out on the veranda 
and let us have a quiet visit,” she said, as he 
took his arms from around her. Starting with 

her they had nearly reached the door, when sud- 

denly stopping he drew Miss Townsley to him 
and, folding his arms about her, said vehemently : 
“If it is the last act of my life, and although 
I were engaged to a half dozen girls, I am going 
to kiss away those tears which I caused to flow 
so freely,” and suiting the action to the word he 
covered her face with kisses. 

“You know you belong to Miss Cole now, and 
you must make up your mind to give her all your 
love and also all your time, for she alone, as 
your fiancee has a right to it, and if I am 

not mistaken, you will soon find that she 

is sufficient to fill your whole life,” Miss Town- 
sley said, as she bade her lover good-night. 
And as he walked down the street, thinking of her 
and blaming himself for having caused her pain, 
Mr. Rhey was saying, “I am afraid I will never 
be able to live down my love for Miss Townsley; 
there is a personality about her that is simply 
irresistible, and when I have been angry with 
her it has always been caused from knowing that 
she does not love me.’* 


The Seal of Destiny. 


167 


CHAPTER XIV. 

It was a hot day in J uly, such a one as only the 
population of the southern states are forced to en- 
dure. The foliage hung wilted upon the trees and 
shrubs and the grass was sun-browned and dust- 
covered, as there had been no rain for weeks. The 
air that was stirring was not enough to set the most 
feathery foliage in motion or fan the flushed face of 
the unfortunate pedestrian. 

The empty nests, where earlier in the season the 
brood had been sheltered by the mother wing, were 
visible between the twisted leaves of the forest and 
lawn trees, and the gay butterflies which in the 
spring had made interesting pictures as they air- 
ily swayed to and fro on the rose colored clovers 
while the naturalist studied their pretty wings, 
had disappeared. 

To read with satisfaction this hot afternoon was 
out of the question, and Alta sat with closed book 
thinking of Winifred, who had recently written 
her that she was engaged and expected to marry 
in the autumn. She had not told her betrothed’s 
name but had said he was a young lawyer of abil- 
ity. This brief description of him caused Miss 
Townsley to wonder if it was all that could be said. 
The message seemed short to be spoken of one 


168 The Seal of Destiny. 

whom she was going to wed, for usually those 
in love have more to say of their beloved than of 
aught else. “I am afraid Winnie does not love the 
man,” she mused, while a great yearning to see her 
sister and all her family filled her heart, and she 
wondered if her father had ever forgiven her. 

After giving it a week of serious thought Alta 
decided to go down into Texas and visit her people 
and see what she might get in the way of reception 
from her father. “Surely after all these years he 
can hold no bitter feelings toward me,” she said, 
and straightway she wrote to Winifred, telling her 
of her intended visit. A new, strange happiness 
had taken possession of her and she felt unusually 
light-hearted and care-free as she went down the 
street to mail the letter. Strangers meeting her on 
the walk gave a searching glance at the pleased 
expression upon her face. There had always been 
something about Alta’s eyes that attracted a great 
deal of attention ; they were a dark blue when they 
caught the light, and in the shadow almost violet, 
while the dreamy, far-away expression gave them 
the appearance of always searching for the in- 
visible, and kept one wondering if her thoughts 
were equally as far away. It was these wonder- 
ful eyes that had first attracted Mr. McLenden 
and then captivated him, and he always said there 
was not another pair like them in all the world. 
There was, too, a certain gravity about the features, 
that when in repose gave her an air of sadness 
and would cause a stranger to wonder if she ever 
smiled and, when smiling, gave her a sweet dignity 
that made her peculiarly attractive. This expres- 
sion was probably due to the fact that from child- 


169 


The Seal of Destiny. 


hood she had been a student and had never taken 
part in gayety or cared for merriment of any kind, 
and, added to this, her life had been rather clouded 
by her father’s harsh treatment all through her 
early years, and afterwards, while still so young, 
being sent forth to battle with the world. 

Mr. Townsley had lost but little of his gruffness, 
nor had the years that had done so much for his 
homeless daughter had any visible effect upon his 
disposition or manners. Having always allowed 
his temper to control him, he had also allowed a 
jealous disposition to grow upon him. His family 
could see but little change in him, and it was with 
trepidation that Winifred approached him, say- 
ing: “Papa, I have a letter here from sister, in 
which she says she is coming to see us.” Waiting 
and receiving no answer from her father, who 
smoked away at his pipe, the girl continued, a lit- 
tle encouraged, as she had not heard the outburst 
of temper she had expected: “What are you go- 
ing to do about it, papa? Are you going to let 
her come here or must she find a boarding place 
while in the neighborhood?” 

“I am not caring where she goes or what she 
does, so she keeps out of my sight,” he answered, 
but his tone was so harsh and his sentence so short 
that his daughter was at a loss to know how to 
proceed and in a hesitating way she said: 

“Then I may write her that she may come 
home ?” 


“I have just told you that this affair is nothing 
to me,” her father answered angrily. 

“But, papa, you did not make it plain to me 


170 The Seal of Destiny. 

you know if she is in the house it will be hard for 
her to keep out of your sight.” 

“Then perhaps I can manage to keep out of 
hers,” Mr. Townsley replied, and Winifred knew 
that this was all her father was going to say; but 
it was sufficient for her to feel that he was going 
to offer no objection to her sister’s presence. The 
permission, so far as it could be called such, was a 
surprise to the girl, who had no idea that her father 
would grant Alta the privilege he had. 

A week later, as Miss Townsley entered with her 
sister, who had met her at the depot, Mr. Townsley 
was alone in the room, Winifred having not in- 
formed him of the day or hour of her sister’s ex- 
pected arrival. Had he known just when she 
would come he would have made it a point to be 
out of the way, but he was caught, and when Win- 
nie said: “Papa, here is Alta,” with a gruff 
“Good-morning, Alta,” he rose and took her hand 
as she extended it, saying, “How do you do, papa,” 
but he ignored the fact that she lifted her face for 
a kiss. 

After this he lapsed into silence, but surprised 
both the girls by remaining in the room. 

While talking to her sister it occurred to Alta 
that possibly he was waiting for her to say some- 
thing to him, and turning toward him, she asked 
if he was in health and was doing well with his 
farm, and a few other commonplace questions, all 
of which he answered, though with a surliness 
that he evidently tried to make as noticeable as 
possible. 

After this he rarely spoke to Alta, unless she 
first addressed him. He never, however, refused 


171 


The Seal of Destiny. 

to answer her, and never seemed to in any way 
concern himself about her. This state of affairs 
grieved her and, watching her chance to speak to 
him when alone, she found him on the veranda 
one day, and coming up to him, plunged into the 
subject while her courage lasted, by saying : “Have 
you never been able to forgive me, papa, for tak- 
ing the course I did? You know you left it op- 
tional with me, and I did what 1 thought was best, 
and I have never had any reasons to regret it, only 
in so far as I have been grieved over your injured 
feelings toward me, and if you have not forgiven, 
then let me ask you right now if you will not?” 
It was an ordeal for Miss Townsley, but she braved 
it through, and was overjoyed to hear her father 
answer : 

“I suppose I have forgiven you long ago, Alta, 
but I never thought you did right in going out in 
the world to do for yourself, instead of marrying 
that man, who could have made you a comfortable 
home.” 

Hot caring to discuss this subject with her father, 
Alta said: “Then I have your forgiveness?” and 
the tremor in her voice betrayed her emotion as 
she rose and put her arms about his neck, saying 
as she kissed him : I love you, papa, and I ap- 
preciate your forgiveness more than you will ever 
understand.” 

To Alta it was as if a great weight, that had lain 
there for years and had gradually sunk down into 
the depths of her heart till it was almost lost sight 
of, and yet she was always conscious of its pres- 
sure, had been suddenly lifted, leaving the cavity 
where it had been embedded to be filled with joy, 


172 The Seal of Destiny. 

and she never felt as light-hearted in her life as 
after her father had spoken those few words, which 
he allowed her to seal with a kiss. 

No sooner had Alta been introduced to her 
sister’s betrothed than she fell to studying him, 
and she was not long in discovering that theirs 
was an engagement that should not have been 
made. She saw that between her sister and Mr. 
Brookings there was a lack of congeniality that, 
should exist between two people who were so soon 
to become one. 

“Here is a man who wants a woman’s sympathy 
and expects her to humor all his whims, while she 
at all times takes great pains to please him, and 
I am afraid Winifred will not be the one to satisfy 
him, for I find her to be the same disnosition as of 
old — naturally kind-hearted and sympathetic, but 
always ready to see the ludicrous side of every- 
thing,” Alta said, as with her quick perception she 
saw that Mr. Brookings was a man who would 
not tolerate being laughed at. 

A fine-looking man and highh'' educated, Mr. 
Brookings had, as his fiancee expressed it, a string 
of letters an inch in length attached to his name, 
signifying honorary titles. 

After finishing his collegiate course abroad, he 
had returned to his native state and settled down 
to practice law. With all the embellishment of a 
finished education, added to a naturally refined 
instinct and an extremely sensitive nature, he was 
a man to incite awe and admiration in those with 
whom he dealt, rather than love and admiration, 
and Alta wondered how it had happened that this 
proud and cold man had become infatuated with 


173 


The Seal of Destiny. 

her sister, who was the very embodiment of sim- 
plicity and who, although she was educated and 
had held a high position as teacher, had not a 
long line of ancestry from which to trace her 
genealogy as had he, nor had she wealth or fame, 
and he had both. !She questioned if Winifred 
really loved the man or if she had allowed ad- 
miration for his personal appearance and ambition 
for the position she would hold as his wife to 
usurp the place of love. Intuition left no doubt 
in Alta’s mind but they were making a mistake, 
and she was sorry for them both. 

"If people only had a knowledge of what God 
intended marriage should be and under what con- 
ditions solemnized, such mistakes would not oc- 
cur. The home has been the making of America, 
the means of building up a great nation; but if 
the people recklessly rush into marriage, as they 
have been doing for the past half of a century, for 
the same length of time in the future, looking to 
the divorce laws to relieve them of their obliga- 
tions if everything is not satisfactory, the state of 
things thus brought about will be no credit to the 
country,” Alta thought, as she predicted that her 
sister’s marriage would not be a happy one. "But,” 
she said, "it will only be one in ten thousand, a 
mere drop in the ocean.” 

Miss Townsley had read Mr. Brookings to be one 
of those peculiar temperaments that expected 
to find happiness in the consciousness of a love 
freely given, and incited through an understanding 
of that very peculiarity, and she saw that he was 
making a grave mistake when he thought her sis- 
ter would love him for those traits. "Winifred 


174 The Seal of Destiny. 

will never understand him or be able to give him 
the love he craves, and after he is married awhile 
he will learn that if ever he is to find himself 
in possession of his wife’s love, founded upon his 
own idiosyncrasies, he will have to get to work and 
educate her up to what he expects of her, and un- 
less I am greatly mistaken he will find that he 
has a large field to work in, and a hard task ahead 
of him,” she thought. 

“At present everything is tinged with the rosy 
hues of love, and when that feeling is predominant 
in a human breast the conception of the object 
held in reverence is not the placid reasoning of a 
neutral mind, and the pictures painted by fascina- 
tion remain the same, it matters not what argu- 
ment may be brought to bear against them,” Miss 
Townsley said, as she wisely determined to let 
love run its course, without interfering. 

The powder to concentrate thought brings to the 
student greater knowdedge and better understand- 
ing of the subject than mere surface thinking, and 
after knowing Mr. Brookings for a few r days, hav- 
ing studied him, Alta could tell her sister far more 
of his characteristics and disposition than his 
fiancee knew after having known him for months. 
Miss Townsle/s rule w^as to take an individual 
and analyze his nature exactly as she w r ould that 
of a plant. “I allow nothing to escape my notice,” 
she said, when Winifred asked her for an explana- 
tion of it. “Not a w T ord he speaks, not an expres- 
sion of the eye, not a smile, not a frown, in fact, 
nothing passes unnoticed, and I make it a point 
to draw them out by conversing. Added to this, my 
knowledge of phrenology and understanding of 


175 


The Seal of Destiny. 

temperament help me in the study of human 
nature, and I am afraid your lack of interest in 
these things will cause you many hours of unhap- 
piness in the future.” Miss Townsley said this 
looking directly at her sister, to see if she would 
grasp her meaning and consider more seriously the 
step she was about to take. “I expect,” she con- 
tinued, “this knowledge of human nature to be 
the key that locks the door against my making any 
very grave mistakes in my dealings with my fellow 
beings, and especially do I expect it to be of in- 
valuable service to me when it comes to the ques- 
tion of marriage,” but paying no attention to the 
but partially hidden suggestion, she discouraged 
Alta by speaking on other subjects. 

“I have thought it hard that we had to be sepa- 
rated all through our youth and thus missed so 
many happy hours that might have been spent to- 
gether; but now that our acquaintance has been 
renewed, I can see that after all we have not missed 
so much, since we could be companions in our 
everyday life only,” Miss Townsley mused, smil- 
ing at the idea of trying to associate logic or science 
with the fair face and admirable form of her sister 
as she reclined in a hammock and related the story 
of her lover’s courtship. 

“Winifred tells me I have made a mistake in 
being too particular about whom I shall marry, 
but I shall not relinquish my views, and the 
strongest argument that may be brought to bear 
against the theory that God’s plan, made from 
eternity, is the only foundation upon which con- 
nubial relations will remain fixed and withstand 
the chilling blasts of time, will only be as so much 


176 The Seal of Destiny. 

strength put into play to remove a mountain. It 
is said that marriage is a failure, and so it is, and 
will be as long as it is looked upon as a game of 
chance instead of being recognized as an institu- 
tion commanded by Divine Authority,” she said. 

Alta’s conception of the term destiny differed 
somewhat from that of better authority. She be- 
lieved the word pertained to the purpose of God 
in regard to His creatures, but did not believe that 
it meant an inevitable condition. Doubting not 
that all the most important events of a life were 
foreordered by His wisdom, yet she believed also 
that He left it to the silent forces of nature to 
work out and perfect His predetermined plans, 
while there was no provision made to prevent these 
plans from being defeated by human agency. 

Going into the garden one day where Wini- 
fred was at work among her flowers, Alta found 
her sister in a mood, and making inquiries as to 
the cause, saw that the girl evaded answering. 
Knowing that Mr. Brookings had been in the 
garden a few moments before, she wondered if 
her sister’s unpleasant frame of mind was due 
to some disagreement between the two. “You 
have a strong and healthy climbing-rose,” she 
said, as she watched Winifred winding the deli- 
cate tendrils in and out through the trellis. “I 
should judge from the light green of the leaves 
that it will bear white blossoms.” 

“It is a cream color, and if it does well by fall 
I expect to use the blossoms to help decorate my 
wedding table. It is a rapid grower, and the 
autumns are usually very late here, so it will 
be blooming then. I mean,” she continued, “if 


177 


The Seal of Destiny. 

I do not give np the idea of marrying altogether.” 
This last remark was made with so much bitter- 
ness that Alta looked at the speaker in surprise. 
“If I do break my engagement,” Winifred went 
on, “this very climbing-rose will be to blame for 
it, for over this we have had our first quarrel, 
and if Mr. Brookings does not take the first step 
toward a reconciliation in just a week he need 
not be surprised to get his ring back with a note 
asking him to keep as far away from me as possi- 
ble hereafter.” 

“I am surprised and sorry to hear you say this, 
but I can venture no sympathy to either of you 
until I know more about the difficulty,” Miss 
Townsley replied, hoping that her sister would 
see fit to not tell her anything more, for unpleas- 
ant things of this kind did not interest her, and 
she disliked to know of their existence. 

As Winifred seemed to have nothing more to 
say Alta turned to go to the house, when she heard 
her sister calling her. Coming back to her, the girl 
said, “Can you not wait awhile? You seem in 
very much of a hurry to leave me. I think your 
love for me is about in proportion with that of 
Mr. Brookings, and the sooner you are out of 
sight of me the better pleased you are.” She 
spoke sharply, and tears were in her eyes. 

“Certainly I can stay, but I thought perhaps 
you wished to be alone,” Alta said kindly, taking 
a seat on the side of a garden wheel-barrow, and 
wishing the injured girl would say what she had 
to say and be through with it. 

“Mr. Brookings came in to see me as he was 
passing,” Winifred said, taking a seat by Alta, 


178 The Seal of Destiny. 

“and only to have something to say I told him 
my object in planting the bush was to have flowers 
to decorate the house on our wedding day, where- 
upon he asked me if it was a cutting, or if it had 
roots. When told that it was the former he 
answered that this was discouraging, as it meant 
that our wedding must thereby be deferred, 
whereas, if I had secured a root we could have 
had roses so much the sooner, and thus the earlier 
secured the perfect happiness that he, at least, 
had so long looked forward to. The intimation 
that our union had been more eagerly looked 
forward to or anticipated by him than it had by 
me did not quite please me, but knowing he spoke 
lightly, I replied that maybe it would be better 
so, since the more extended the engagement the 
longer time we would have to enjoy the anticipa- 
tion of that happy event, not thinking that he 
would take it seriously. 

“I should never have thought him so extremely 
sensitive, but he answered that perhaps I did 
not care how long our marriage was postponed, 
and that he was beginning to think such was the 
case, and that indifference was a word well ap- 
plied to me. 

“This was altogether too cutting when I 
could not see that I had said anything to call 
it forth, and in my astonishment I answered 
hotly that this was exactly the case, and for once 
he was right in his surmises, for I was not caring 
at all how long the wedding was delayed, and the 
longer it was so the more agreeable it was to me. 

“Knowing this was not the truth I had no 
sooner said it than I regretted it, and would have 


179 


The Seal of Destiny. 

made reparation then and there had he given me 
the chance, but before I could speak he had made 
reconciliation impossible, so far as my taking the 
first step toward it is concerned, by saying in his 
most sarcastic tone, ‘I am glad, madam, that 
you have been kind enough to let me know in so 
few words just how much you think of me, and 
seeing that you do not hesitate to tell me that 
a prolonged engagement is more pleasing to you 
than would be an earlier marriage, I wonder if 
you will not be kind enough to tell me also why 
you have always tried to impress upon me the 
idea that you love me?’ Not giving me time to 
recover my senses he then turned, and with a 
haughty bow left the garden, left also a very 
angry woman, and one that he will find he can 
not treat so, many times. 

“I do not intend to make the slightest move 
toward an adjustment of the affair, nor do I 
intend to give him many days for the purpose, 
and if in a week he has not asked my forgiveness 
then I shall return the ring, thus sealing for all 
time the possibility of even a friendship between 
us.” 

“What would you do under the circumstances ?” 
Winifred asked, scanning her sister’s face, who 
was in a deep study. 

“If the birds in the tree-top failing to agree, 
come to disputing in such loud, though bird 
language as to attract our attention, we say, 
what foolish birds to be quarreling on one bough 
when they have all the welkin to soar away 
and be apart in, and we naturally wonder why 
their instinct does not lead them to adopt this 


180 The Seal of Destiny. 

wiser course, as we think if we were in their place, 
we certainly should do ; but it seems to be a natural 
failing of humanity to always stand ready to ad- 
vise our fellow-beings of the course they should 
pursue in the hour of difficulties with others, 
while it rarely occurs to us that we might wisely 
follow our own advice, and with a feeling border- 
ing on impatience we wonder why the human 
race will not use the reasoning powers with which 
its superior intellect is gifted,” Alta said. 

“You have given Mr. Brookings just one week 
to come to you and apologize or ask your pardon, 
whichever he sees fit to do, but if I can depend 
upon my intuition to read human nature aright, 
and ^understand the disposition of those about me, 
I think I may venture to say that you might as 
well give him a month or a year as to give him 
the week to make reparation in, for he will never 
humble himself to come, nor will he write to you.” 

“It seems to be an illustration of the inevi- 
table,” Alta mused, as she thought of the trivial 
event which originated this lover’s quarrel. “Mr. 
Brookings is a proud man, and expects the gentler 
sex to bow in submission to him on all occasions, 
nor will he forgive until a woman has duly ex- 
pressed her sorrow for her supposed misdemeanor, 
and asked his forgiveness, and whether she is 
at fault or not, he expects her to admit that she 
is, and Winnie will need to be very careful how 
she handles him, or there will be trouble more 
than this once. 

“I suppose he is not different from other men 
in this,” she said, kindly trying to find an excuse 
for him, “for they all seem to think they are 


181 


The Seal of Destiny. 

m authority over us, and expect us to obey them. 
Mr. McLendon was so with me, and Professor 
Lamar'ing, notwithstanding all his kindness, has 
given us to understand that obedience to him is 
our duty, and rule us he will. 

“He is a haughty man,” she said aloud, sud- 
denly awakening from her reverie, “and you will 
have to make the start toward reclaiming him 
and bridging over the estrangement.” 

“That I will never do,” Winifred said, bringing 
her foot down upon the grass to emphasize the 
remark. 

The days passed, and while the heart-broken 
girl thought each one as it rolled around would 
surely bring some message from the angry lover, 
if it did not bring himself, he was at home, 
vainly trying to forget that there was such a being 
as his fiancee. 

“If she loves me she will come to me or send 
me word to come to her, and if she does not with- 
in a few days let me hear from her, I shall arrange 
to go away, and in traveling among strange scenes 
and faces try to erase her from memory.” 

Then, reproaching himself severely for even 
thinking of trying to forget the one who was his 
idol, a feeling of despair overcame him and his 
prompting to go seek his beloved was strong, 
but pride was stronger. “I will never be the 
first to attempt to adjust this matter; no, indeed, 
that young lady has got to humiliate herself in 
this affair, as she will in many others if she lives 
with me. She must verify all the past asser- 
tions of her love by coming to me and making 


182 The Seal of Destiny. 

amends,” he said, an expression of scorn set- 
tling down upon his handsome features. 

As Alta came in the room with hat and gloves 
on, her sister said: “I see you are going out, will 
you will kindly mail this letter for me? It is a 
billet doux to Mr. Brookings.” 

Taking the missive, Miss Townsley made no 
reply, but as soon as far enough from home to be 
safe in doing it she took the letter from her pocket 
and while she studied the address, wondered what 
it contained. "If I was sure my conjecture is 
right, — and when I think of the sarcastic way in 
which Winnie said it was a billet doux , I feel 
almost certain that I am right, — this letter would 
never be allowed to reach its intended destination.” 
Without any curiosity whatever to know its con- 
tents, but with a desire to prevent the unpleasant- 
ness between the lovers from becoming augmented, 
Alta was strongly tempted to open the envelope. 
She was driving into the city in her sister’s phae- 
ton, and unconsciously she had drawn on the reins 
when, obedient to the signal, the pony had stopped 
and stood awaiting the order to go on. 

"I do not believe it will do any harm to either of 
them for me to read it, and should it be expressive 
of regrets at the present state of things, I could 
put it in a new envelope, and readdressing it, no 
one would be the worse for my having read it, and 
if it is what I think it is, a letter renouncing all 
claim upon her lover, then I doubt if that gentle- 
man ever gets a chance to read it. Any way I will 
open it and see.” 

Tearing the end off the envelope, she found that 
which she had surmised it might contain, a crush- 


183 


The Seal of Destiny. 

ing blow to all of Mr. Brookings’ hopes, if per- 
chance he had any. In this note, brief though it 
was, Winifred had scornfully denounced her lover, 
charging him with unfaithfulness, with deceit and 
with an ungentlemanly act in thus treating her. 
“Fortunately for myself,” she said, “I find that 
the feeling to which I accredited love, was after 
all but a fondness for the society of one who helped 
me to pass away the time when I was not better 
employed, and that without a passing regret, I 
can dispense with it. I will at the earliest conven- 
ience send you back your ring.” 

“No, indeed,” Alta thought, as she started the 
pony on his way, “Mr. Brookings will never have 
the pain nor the pleasure of reading this bitter 
accusation, and to save me telling a falsehood, 
should sister ask me if I mailed it, which she is 
likely to do, I will change the envelope, put an 
erroneous address upon it and send it on its way.” 

A few moments thereafter as she stood by the 
counter and wrote the address J. W. Brooks, Gen- 
eral Delivery, New York, she smiled as she thought 
of the possibility of the note ever falling into the 
hands, through the mission of the advertising col- 
umns of the paper, of some individual whose name 
she had unintentionally used. “Should such a 
thing happen,” she said, “that person will under- 
stand the writer was in no pleasant humor when 
penning it. However, it is more likely the em- 
ployees at the dead letter office will be entertained 
by it. It is well that Winnie forgot, or else 
thought best to not put her name to it, for had 
she, I would not dare do this lest it be returned 
to her from that office.” 


184 The Seal of Destiny. 

Miss Townsley’s understanding of human nature 
led her to resort to a little piece of stratagem 
in the hope of bringing her willful sister to re- 
tract what she had said in regard to limiting her 
fiance to a week in which to make amends. 

“Would you not like to go home with me?” she 
asked. “By so doing you would be out of the dan- 
ger of being annoyed by Mr. Brookings paying 
attention to some one else, for a man who enjoys 
ladies’ society as much as he does, will not be long 
in finding some one in whom he will be interested. 
With the aid of my friends there, I am certain I 
could get you a teacher’s position, and you could 
thus be self-supporting, and in a measure independ- 
ent, and beside, the employment would enable you 
to the sooner forget the past; then it would be 
pleasant for us to be there together.” 

“Once she gives serious thought to the prospects 
of the lonely life she must lead among strangers, 
•working to support herself when her interest is 
not in the work, she will be more ready to listen 
to reason, than will she from all the coaxing I 
can do,” she mused as she sat with her arms 
around her sister. 

If Miss Townsley ventured to speak in the least 
favorable of Mr. Brookings, Winifred was ready 
to charge her with thinking more kindly of him 
than of herself, so her position as peacemaker 
was not a pleasant one, but she saw no way out of 
it until the newly made chasm that appeared so 
terribly deep and wide to those two aching hearts 
might be so firmly bridged over that Cupid could 
in all safety cross. 


The Seal of Destiny. 


185 


CHAPTER XV. 

Always with loving-kindness, hoping to avoid 
making others unhappy, Alta thought best after 
her last stormy interview with Mr. Rhey, to leave 
the Springs for awhile, and to save hurting his 
feelings about it, she had decided that the visit 
to her people would be the most reasonable excuse 
she could offer him for her leaving. 

When making her farewell call, and offering her 
congratulations to Miss Cole, she said : 

“I. will be gone until about the first of Sep- 
tember, and I hope when I return to have the 
pleasure of attending a happy wedding.” 

“Perhaps you will,” her friend answered with 
a smile, which did not conceal the shade of sad- 
ness that crossed her features ; “but you know we 
cannot be sure of anything until we have secured 
it.” 

“Why do you speak this way, my dear, if I may 
ask? The diamond upon your finger would make 
it appear that a wedding in the near future was 
the most certain thing,” Miss Townsley said, scan- 
ning her companion's face. A vague fear had 
seized her that Mr. Rhey had in some uninten- 
tional way allowed his fiancee to find out about 
his love for herself, and also a fear that Cora Alice 
might suspect her of playing her cards to win 


i 


186 The Seal of Destiny. 

back the one whom, even now, she conld so easily 
take from her if she chose, had taken hold of her, 
but her friend’s next remark set her fears at 
rest. 

“I have made it a rule since childhood,” she 
said, “to never allow myself to be certain of any- 
thing until I have hold of it, and the fact that I 
have been engaged twice previous to this, and each 
time events have transpired to prevent my nuptials 
from taking place, has only strengthened me in 
my determination to never become elated over that 
which the future holds.” 

“And in so doing you are taking a sensible 
course,” Miss Townsley replied. 

Although he appeared happy as he slipped the 
ring upon her finger, yet Mr. Rhey’s manner im- 
pressed the woman to whom he was betrothing 
himself as not being as ardent as on the previous 
night, when, in evening dress, he had clasped her 
to his heart and called her an angel. Her natur- 
ally quick perceptive qualities sensitized by love, 
made her notice it instantfy, and with hard work 
only did she manage to keep him from discovering 
her disappointment. 

“May I have a kiss now?” he asked, laying his 
arm about her shoulder and stooping to look into 
her face. 

“No, you cannot,” she replied, trying to con- 
ceal her unhappiness with a smile. 

“Why?” he asked quickly, looking sharply at 
her as he detected her petulant mood. “You know 
that you are now mine and it is a privilege con- 
ceded to every one to kiss their own.” 

“But I do not belong to you yet,” she answered 


The Seal of Destiny. 187 

lightly, though her heart was heavy and she was 
struggling to keep back her tears, while the thought 
running through her mind was that he was giv- 
ing but little evidence of love for one in the act 
of betrothing himself. 

"If you do not let me kiss you/’ he said, looking 
fondly into her face, “why then I shall get what 
satisfaction I can out of kissing the girl I love. 
Would Miss Cole have any objections to that, I 
wonder ?” 

“None in the least,” she replied innocently, 
taking him literally, while a pained expression 
crossed her face which as he folded her to his 
bosom he endeavored to kiss away, finishing with 
a passionate pressure upon her lips. 

“You should not have done this without my 
permission,” she said hotly, trying to get away 
from his strong arm. 

“Nor did I, for you said plainly that you had 
no objections in the least to my kissing the girl 
I loved,” he returned, laughing heartily at her 
confusion, which she sought to hide by pressing 
her face to his bosom. 

“You are pouting,” the nonplused lover said, 
seeing that her light-heartedness was forced, “and 
if you do not smile and be more pleasant, I will 
have to go and see some one who loves me more 
than does my own little girl.” Taking her hand 
as he rose to go he said, gently, “Do not be of- 
fended and I will not tease you any more, dear, 
for I see you are not feeling well, so good-by, and 
I will call again either this evening or to-morrow. 
May I have a parting kiss?” he asked quietly, as 
she accompanied him to the door, and knowing 


188 The Seal of Destiny. 

that she had not been as pleasant as she should 
have been, she raised her face and received his 
kiss, but, had she seen him an hour later when 
overcome with emotion because he had hurt Alta’s 
feeling, he had snatched her to his heart and 
vehemently declared he would kiss away her tears, 
she would have despised herself for receiving a 
kiss from one whose love was another’s. 

After Miss Townsley had left the city, Mr. 
Ehey’s manners toward Miss Cole changed, and 
he was now never with her that he was not in 
some way demonstrating his love. He spent money 
upon her lavishly and seemed never so happy as 
when indulging her in her wishes, all of which 
would have satisfied most girls, but Miss Cole 
was one to not be contented with unsubstantiated 
knowledge. Having made the wrong impression 
upon her at first, Cora Alice was, with her shrewd 
way of allowing nothing to pass unnoticed, quick 
to see that as soon as Miss Townsley was away, 
her lover’s embraces were increased, and could only 
be accounted for by her friend’s absence, and 
having no assurance that all of this affection which 
was bestowed upon her would be hers after Alta’s 
return, she decided to put his love to the test while 
Miss Townsley was away. Of her own love, Cora 
Alice had never a doubt and would have been will- 
ing to have had it tested by any crucial that might 
be applied to it. 

“I am going north to spend a few weeks,” she 
said to Mr. Khey, and watching his face she was 
pleased to see a shade of disappointment there as 
he said: 

“Is that so?” But his next remark surprised her. 


189 


The Seal of Destiny. 

“Without considering my wishes in the matter?” 
This phase of the question had not occurred to 
her, and she felt the hot blood rush to her face. 
“It seems to me,” he continued, “that it is time 
you were impressing it upon yourself that matters 
of this kind should be mentioned to me before the 
last minute, and I am not at all pleased with you 
now. When did you intend to go ?” he asked. 

“I thought of going to-morrow,” she answered, 
tears filling her eyes. 

“And I suppose you would hardly have taken the 
trouble to have kissed me good-by, would you?” 

It was a habit with Mr. Rhey when in the least 
disturbed to always stand, and being tall, he could 
thus look down indignantly upon the offender. 

“Yes,” the girl answered, beginning to weep, 
“I love you too much to leave without bidding 
you good-by,” and putting her arms about him 
she begged him to not be so angry with her and 
she would not be so thoughtless again. 

“You are sure you will not,” he said, beginning 
to relent. Mr. Rhey always said a woman’s tears 
could wash away his anger when nothing else 
would. Speaking more gently, he said, “Stop cry- 
ing now, my dear, and let us talk about this, but 
first tell me if I should forbid your going, what 
would you do?” 

“I am not sure what I should do,” Miss Cole 
hesitatingly answered. 

“You are not sure?” her lover said, with rising 
temper. “Well, I know what I should do, and 
moreover, I know what I will do if Miss Cole does 
not stop being naughty. I shall punish her.” This 
severe statement set the girl crying again. Know- 


190 


The Seal of Destiny. 

ing that the tears were shed because she loved 
him, and that he had only to speak a kind word, 
and instantly forgetting it all, and forgiving it 
all, she would be the same gentle, loving woman as 
ever, his provocation gave place to sympathy, and 
feeling that he had punished her enough, he said, 
pressing her to his heart, “Dry your tears now, my 
treasure, and I will love you as much as ever, for 
I know you are not going to be so thoughtless 
again. I have decided to go away with you and 
see that you are pleasantly settled, then I will re- 
turn and leave you there. Will ’that suit you, 
dear ?” 

Miss Cole’s intention was to go north, as she 
did every summer, and while away neglect to 
answer her lover’s letters. “It will be a good 
plan,” she said, “and if he loves me. enough for 
it to make any difference to him whether I write 
or not, I will soon find it out.” 

“What a delightful change from the sultry 
winds of the south,” Mr. Rhey said, as he stood 
on the veranda of a hotel in the lake regions of the 
north, whither he had gone with Miss Cole. “I 
am tempted to remain, where my heart must re- 
main for the next few weeks.” 

“Could you stay away from home so long? I 
mean away from business?” she corrected her- 
self, lest he might think she intimated that he 
would suffer homesickness. 

“My business, just at present, is taking care of 
you,” he answered, while a flush overspread his 
features. He was disappointed that she did not 
urge him to remain, while she felt remorse at 
thus treating him. 


191 


The Seal of Destiny. 

“I am going to spend the day with a fishing 
party. We are going a few miles up the shore, and 
will not be back until late in the afternoon,” Mr. 
Rhey said, and by this remark changed the sub- 
ject. 

“Are there any ladies going?” Miss Cole asked. 

“Would you be jealous if there were?” he said, 
smiling at her interest. 

“No, only I thought if there were I should like 
to go.” 

“Had there been ladies going, I should certainly 
have asked you to join us,” Mr. Rhey replied, his 
heart filled with pleasure at her desire to be with 
him. “I will send them word that I am not going, 
and will spend the day with you instead, if you 
will give me the slightest reason for thinking you 
would be pleased to have me here.” 

“Nothing would please me more or give me 
greater enjoyment than would your society for 
the day,” Miss Cole said, speaking earnestly, “yet 
I think the exercise and the ramble will really 
benefit you, therefore, for my sake and for your 
own, I wish to have you go. Lately,” she contin- 
ued, laying her hand upon his brow, “I notice you 
look careworn and sometimes I am afraid you are 
worried about something.” 

“No, I am not,” he said, taking her hand from 
his forehead and pressing his lips to it, “but the 
heat enervates me and I should never try to spend 
my summers in the south. I dread going back 
while the weather is so hot.” Looking into her 
eyes as he spoke he was hoping she would invite 
him to remain. 


192 The Seal of Destiny. 

“Why do you not stay?” Miss Cole asked. 

Somewhat piqued at her apparent indifference, 
Mr. Bhey replied significantly, “I think, on ac- 
count of my business, I had better return and 
will probably start back this evening.” 

Perfectly frank himself he gave every one else 
credit for being the same, and while it was evi- 
dent that his fiancee wished to get rid of him, he 
excused her on the ground that she was tired, 
having seen him every day since their engagement, 
and possibly thought if they were separated for 
awhile, they would appreciate each other more. 

Reaching the hotel after his day’s outing, Mr. 
Rhey found Cora Alice on the veranda and all 
his unhappy feelings gave way to pleasure when 
she came forward to meet him with a smile of 
welcome and extended hand which, however, he 
did not wait to take, but instead, caught her to his 
breast in a vehement embrace. 

“How have you spent the day, dear?” he asked, 
putting the exhausted girl in a chair. 

“I have spent it longing for you,” she answered, 
knowing that this reply would please him. 

“You will hear from me as soon as a letter can 
be returned after my reaching home,” Mr. Rhey 
said, when bidding Miss Cole good-by, “and I 
will write you every day thereafter, until I see 
you again, and I shall expect a letter from you 
at least once a week?” 

There was a tinge of irony in his voice as he 
made this speech, which he put in the form of a 
question, and which as she did not answer caused 
the surprised lover to look inquiringly at her. 

“She can do as she pleases about writing to me,” 


193 


The Seal of Destiny. 

he thought, with ruffled feelings. Mr. Rhey was 
beginning to think that his fiancee’s manner to- 
ward him was changed. 

“Girls are hard to understand,” he mused. 
“Miss Townsley was always a puzzle to me and 
now Miss Cole seems to be developing a disposition 
that perplexes me and I am almost vexed with her 
for not promising to correspond with me;” then 
with a start he said, “I wonder if she was pro- 
voked with me for accompanying her north. 
Well,” he continued, settling down in his seat, and 
losing himself in reverie as the train bore him 
southward, “I shall be very lonely without her.” 

“It is far better to be certain whether it is 
Alta or me before the final vows are spoken. Then 
should I find that it is my friend instead of my- 
self whom he loves, I will give him up, though 
it break my heart to do so,” Miss Cole said, in self- 
communion, a desire and decision on her part 
that is commendable to every one who is contem- 
plating matrimony. 

Could she have placed the implicit confidence 
in her fiance that she knew he placed in her. Miss 
Cole would have been happier. 

Many times she felt remorse for her doubts 
and wished she might overcome them, and when 
she received his first letter her heart was filled 
with longing for his society, while the temptation 
to answer it was strong. 

“I have come a thousand miles for the purpose 
of testing his love and to yield now would only 
be a weakness on my part,” she said, as she put 
the letter away unanswered. 

Sitting in his library one day some four weeks 


194 The Seal of Destiny. 

later, Mr. Rhey was probably as good a subject 
to illustrate all the contending emotions of a per- 
turbed soul that a student of human nature could 
wish to find or an artist hoping to depict on can- 
vas a. dejected spirit could ask for as a model. 
Another delivery of the mail had just been made 
and he still had no message from his fiancee, al- 
though not a day had passed that, he had not writ- 
ten her. One moment in anger he would blame 
her for infidelity, and the next would reproach 
himself for thinking so of her, then with a feel- 
ing of keenest disappointment he would be forced 
to admit that she was certainly showing indif- 
ference toward him. 

“It is evident she is trying to rid herself of 
me and has taken this course to inform me of her 
desire to break her engagement. This accounts 
for her unwillingness to have me remain up there 
with her. It is all plain to me now,” he said, 
then recalling how affectionate she had ever been 
in her attitude toward him, he denounced himself 
for the thought, saying, “No, I do not believe it 
of her. I believe she loves me and I shall con- 
tinue believing it until she tells me, in so many 
words, that she does not.” 

With a feeling of resentment toward the one 
for whom his heart was then yearning, Mr. Rhey 
arose and walked the floor in deep meditation. 
“Her treatment of me is simply beyond my com- 
prehension and I will write her once more and if 

she does not answer, why I shall ” Here he 

stopped, not knowing what threat to make against 
her and not having the heart to make any. 

“Possibly she has tired of the one place and gone 


The Seal of Destiny. 195 

elsewhere, and, therefore, my letters have not 
reached her;” and for a moment this thought 
cheered him, but then the counter-thought that 
if changing her address she should let him know 
of it, caused a frown to settle upon his face. 

“This would surely be conclusive evidence that 
she wishes to disengage herself from me,” he said, 
as he started to post the letter which was to be 
the last. After grave reflections, but meaning no 
censure he told her in this letter that unless she 
replied to it, upon receipt of it, he would consider 
it his privilege to cancel his engagement, should 
he so choose. 

Understanding by this message that her lover 
was losing patience with her, Miss Cole thought 
it best to answer him and only that she was in- 
terrupted while writing, by friends calling, her 
reply would have been posted several hours earlier. 

The last delivery in which the hoped-for letter, 
should she comply with his demand in regard to 
answering his, might be expected, had been made, 
and both disappointed and chagrined to find 
among his letters none addressed in Miss Cole’s 
handwriting, Mr. Rhey was within an hour there- 
after on a train bearing him northward. 

Seated under a tree with a book in her hand 
in which she was vainly trying to interest herself. 
Miss Cole’s mind was dwelling upon her lover. She 
was unhappy because she knew he was displeased 
with her, and as no one was near she was allowing 
her tears to flow. Startled to hear a footstep, she 
turned and saw her fiance approaching. After his 


196 The Seal of Destiny. 

greeting, which she was quick to see was not of the 
warmest, Mr. Rhey asked: 

“Why were you weeping as I came up ?” 

“I was hurt over your last letter,” she replied, 
making a motion to put her arm about his waist, 
seeing which he put his hands upon her shoulders 
and pushed her back into the seat from which 
she had risen. Straightening himself to his full- 
est stature, he stood in front of her and, with 
great sternness, said: 

“And what of my feelings? Does it make any 
difference to Miss Cole, I wonder, how much 
they are hurt?” Not waiting for a reply the 
angry man continued: “You will oblige me very 
much. Miss Cole, if you will stay your tears long 
enough to tell me what your reasons are, if you 
have any, for not letting me hear from you in all 
these weeks? and I wish to know also why you 
were not willing to have me remain up here with 
you. My patience has now reached the limit, and 
I demand to know just where I stand in your 
affections ; besides, I want you to understand that 
I am here to take you home, for since I cannot 
hear from you, I will take you back and keep you 
where I can see you.” Finishing this speech, Mr. 
Rhey stood waiting, while Cora Alice made an 
effort to dry her tears that she might calmly tell 
him the truth and take the consequence, whatever 
it should be. She had never seen her lover in anger 
before, and she feared him as he stood towering 
above her and looking down so reproachfully upon 
her. 

Realizing that she had overstepped the boun- 
dary-line of her usually sound judgment and by 


197 


The Seal of Destiny. 

thus querying into the substratum of a proud 
man’s love had made a grave mistake, Miss Cole 
rose and standing in front of her fiance, made a 
full confession of the part she had played, which 
was a revelation to the man. Being a phase of the 
question that had not dawned upon him, Mr. 
Rhey was dumbfounded and without a word he 
turned and walked away from the astonished girl, 
who did not understand his feelings and there- 
fore not his actions. 

As he walked away with his head down, he was 
experiencing as deep a feeling of disappointment 
as the soul is capable of, while his anguish was 
great. The fact that she had all these months 
been mistrusting him, when he had never even 
questioned but that she had implicit faith in his 
love, was overwhelming and he was afraid, as he 
kept going, he knew not whither, that he could 
not forgive her, although he was making the great- 
est effort to take a charitable view of her object, 
and, therefore, not allow himself to be too severe 
with her. “She is not to blame, for wishing to be 
certain of my love, but the truth of her having 
doubted my word for it is what has hurt me so, 
and I can look upon it as nothing less than an 
insult to my integrity and honor,” he said. 

Wondering at her lover’s course in thus leaving 
her and having grave fears, since he had gone to- 
ward the lake, that he might do some unreason- 
able thing, Miss Cole waited for some time, and 
then, as he did not return, took her book and went 
into the hotel where, almost prostrate with grief 
and remorse, she spent the day in the seclusion of 
her room. The next day, however, to her great 


198 The Seal of Destiny. 

relief, she received a message asking her to come 
down to the parlor where he would wait to see 
her. Having no desire to meet his fiancee until 
he could feel more lenient toward her, Mr. Ithey 
had purposely avoided her. As she entered the 
room he arose and stood awaiting her, and as she 
neared him, with a courteous bow, and a graceful 
sweep of the hand, showed her to a seat with all 
the quiet dignity he would have the most remote 
stranger with whom he was to have an interview, 
then standing in front of her the very personifica- 
tion of injured feelings, he said: “Probably you 
do not know to what extent you have damaged 
my pride, by your lack of confidence in me, Miss 
Cole, for of all the people in the world there is 
not one whose perfect reliance upon my word I 
would appreciate as much as I should yours, and 
though you might try for a lifetime, you will never 
be able to hurt me more than you have now. The 
wound is one that it will take time to heal, and 
while my love for you is none the less, it is the 
very thing that has sharpened the pain and will 
make it all the longer in yielding to the allevia- 
tion that comes with time, for you have nearly 
broken my heart/’ As the aggrieved man spoke, 
he was suffering the acutest pain at his heart, 
while the tone of reproach commingled with sad- 
ness was so clearly perceptible that the accused 
thought she could never again after this bitter ex- 
perience, feel pain that would equal it, and at- 
tempting to draw a full breath it was checked by 
grief. Rising and standing near him, she said: 

“While I feel that I am free to say, that all 
the rest of my life will not suffice to suppress my 


199 


The Seal of Destiny. 

regrets for what I have done, and, although the 
pain at my heart is so sharp that I can scarcely 
speak, I suppose it is useless for me to ask your 
forgiveness.” 

“It is entirely useless. Miss Cole, for forgive you 
I cannot, and it would be unjust to try to make 
you believe I have, although I hope in course of 
time to be able to make such a statement from the 
fullness of my heart;” and turning he left her 
without another word. 

Dumb with grief and stung with remorse the 
girl wondered what her lover was going to do, 
while she longed for the ' privilege of in some 
way demonstrating her affection, but dared not 
attempt it since he had pushed her from him on 
their first meeting. 

On the morning of the fifth day after his 
arrival, Mr. Rhey joined Miss Cole on the veranda 
and said, “I am going home to-morrow and shall 
take you with me.” Forgetting for a moment his 
feelings toward her, she replied : 

“Please let me stay a week or two longer, Mr. 
Rhey.” But when he answered determinedly: 

“No, I shall not allow you to remain. Miss Cole, 
I want you with me so I can see what you are 
doing, since I cannot hear from you.” Cora Alice 
knew from the sternness in his voice, that he was 
inflexible and with a pained expression she said: 

“Very well.” There was such a resigned feel- 
ing apparent in her tone that Mr. Rhey looked 
sharply at her, then quietly asked: 

“Have you enjoyed your rest in these delight- 
fully cool regions?” 

• “Not entirely, because I have been lonely with- 


200 The Seal of Destiny. 

out you,” she answered; then with something of 
the old feeling that it was her right and without 
questioning whether it still was or not, she took 
the two or three steps that separated them and 
slipping her hand through his elbow pressed her 
cheek against his sleeve. It was a simple act, but 
some of the greatest events of history have been 
turned on the pivot of simple acts, so this of hers 
turned his anger and lessened his provocation to- 
ward the fair penitent. Feeling her face against 
his arm he said, gently: 

“My love is not ephemeral.” It was all he said, 
but she felt relieved by it, and turning to go, lest 
he might not want her so near him, she said : 

“I will be ready to accompany you home to- 
morrow.” 

As the weeks passed, bringing nearer the 
autumn and therefore his nuptials, time, the uni- 
versal remedy, was alleviating his disappointment 
and soothing his anger, and in his attitude toward 
his fiancee, Mr. Khey was gradually becoming 
the indulgent and caressing lover of former days. 

One evening when he had brought her home 
from an entertainment in which she had again 
taken a part and proved her ability as a musician, 
he pleased her greatly by saying, (C l remember 
no moment in my life when I have felt as exalted 
from a knowledge that I had an enviable claim 
upon anything, as I have felt this evening from 
knowing that the talent which the audience was 
so eagerly applauding was that of one who belongs 
to me.” 

“Your appreciation and praise is all I ask, and 
having it I am satisfied,” Miss Cole said with a 


201 


The Seal of Destiny. 

grave bow. Looking into her beautiful eyes and 
noticing the earnest expression there and also 
the sincerity of her speech, his soul was suddenly 
aflame with love and folding her in his arms he 
pressed her to his bosom with the same vehemence 
he had on that former occasion when first declar- 
ing his love, and feeling his heart-throbs as she 
rested there, she knew she had regained all she had 
lost by her zeal to find out how many fathoms 
his love would measure. 


202 The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER XVI. 

Remembering her sudden resolve without 
prompting from any visible source and her 
bravery in daring to meet her angry parent, Alta 
was inclined to believe that Providence had di- 
rected her to make the visit to Texas and if so, of 
course for some purpose, but whether .it was to 
augment, as well she knew she could, the estrange- 
ment between her sister and her betrothed or 
whether to act as peacemaker she was unable to 
say. 

Miss Townsley’s conception of a silent com- 
munion, or as she chose to call it a mental teleg- 
raphy whereby all humanity would be guided 
to happiness would they but heed the intuition, 
was so fixed upon her mind that she had long 
since ceased to question the theory and she had 
grave doubts if Winifred and Mr. Brookings were, 
by the plans of a Supreme Ruler, predestined to 
become united. Alta reasoned that the magnetic 
powers, the invisible current that vibrated between 
two souls influencing them to seek each other, en- 
gendered a love so strong that patience ruled them. 
Therefore, she found it hard to reconcile herself 
to her sister’s engagement. “Their love is surely 
resting upon a tottering foundation,” she said, as 


203 


The Seal of Destiny. 

she prayed that light would be given her that she 
might make no mistake in dealing with these 
two inflexible people. 

Miss Townsley believed if they were thus alien- 
ated by Providence, then any plan she might un- 
dertake in behalf of peace would be frustrated, 
so she determined to do all she could to reunite 
them. 

“Things are not as dreadful as you in your 
present distress imagine them to be, sister,” Alta 
said soothingly, laying her arm about the un- 
happy girl, “and I have no doubt but your fiance 
is just as miserable over this unpleasant affair and 
just as anxious to see the clouds dispersed as you 
are, but I must repeat that he will certainly wait 
for you to humble yourself first.” 

“What would you have me do?” Winifred asked 
angrily, a flush upon her face. 

“I know it is a hard thing to do, but you must 
conquer your pride, my dear, and go to Mr. Brook- 
ings and tell him you are sorry that you were so 
hasty and that you did not mean it when you in- 
timated that you did not love him. Tell him 
that you are miserable and unhappy when you re- 
member the cutting remark you made about the 
postponement of your marriage and unless I am 
greatly mistaken, he will forgive you and per- 
haps will admit that he was as much at fault as 
were you.” 

“He had better admit that he was altogether 
at fault, for I shall never believe but that he was,” 
Winifred said passionately. “He let me know 
from what he said that he has no faith in me,” 
she continued. 


204 The Seal of Destiny. 

“Now I do not think so, Winnie, and being a 
disinterested person, I think I can judge dis- 
passionately, and I have an idea that he made the 
remark just to hear you declare again your love. 
Now, I am not exonerating Mr. Brookings and 
laying all the fault at your feet,” Alta hastened to 
say, as she caught an angry flash from her sister’s 
eye, “for he is just as naughty as you, and, there- 
fore, should be compelled to meet you on half- 
way ground at least, but I am certain he will 
take no step toward making peace until you have 
gone over your half of the ground and invited 
him to come and meet you there.” 

Driving into the city a few days later, Alta, 
by chance, met her sister’s fiance. She was step- 
ping from the phaeton when he approached and 
asked if he could hitch the pony for her, after 
which he turned and went down the street with 
her. This meeting Miss Townsley would have 
avoided had it been possible, yet as she walked 
by his side and noticed his dejected spirit and pre- 
occupied air, the whole of her warm nature went 
out to him in sympathy, and had he mentioned the 
subject that she knew was uppermost in his mind 
she would have offered whatever consolation and 
advice she could. “I doubt net but that his love 
is true and strong,” she was thinking as she 
noticed the sad expression on his face, “and would 
be of lasting endurance should the one upon whom 
it was bestowed prove to be exactly what he had 
expected and hoped to find in a woman; yet un- 
der the strain of disappointment, would soon cool 
and eventually seek elsewhere for congenial com- 
panionship. I hope,” she said, for the hundredth 


The Seal of Destiny. 205 

time^ “that Winifred will strive to understand and 
please him.” 

A block farther Alta bade him good-by and 
left him standing looking regretfully after her, 
and as she passed out of sight a feeling of lone- 
liness came over him and he almost wished he 
had asked her about Winifred. 

“Had I asked she would tell her sister and I 
am determined to not give that young lady so much 
as an inch of room to feel that I have encouraged 
her to come back to me or concerned myself enough 
to make inquiries about her. If she comes to me 
duly repentant, I am ready to forgive her, but 
only under such conditions,” the disappointed 
man said, as he entered his office and in a list- 
less way began to look over papers that demanded 
his attention while his thoughts were two miles out 
from the hot and dusty city to the delightfully 
cool and shaded cottage home where dwelt the 
one whose image was constantly before him, and 
of whom he was cruel enough to hope when he 
felt the pangs at his own heart that there was 
one of equal sharpness at hers. He was keenly 
disappointed that Miss Townsley had not men- 
tioned her sister’s name. “If only she had spoken 
it in the most casual way, it wnuid have lightened 
my burden somewhat for the day,” he said speak- 
ing to himself. 

Walking studiously along the street toward 
where her pony was tied, Alta met the cousin of 
Mr. Brookings who was a friend of Winifred’s. 
After her greeting, this lady invited Miss Towns- 
ley to come home with her to lunch. Knowing 
of her cousin’s engagement but not of the dis- 


206 The Seal of Destiny. 

agreement of the lovers, that lady was greatly 
surprised when informed of it, and was at once 
heart and soul interested in helping Alta to plan 
some way of bringing about a renewal of peace be- 
tween them. Since it was at her house they had 
first met and she herself had introduced them, she 
felt that such an unpleasant ending to a romance 
of which she had been the source must not be al- 
lowed. 

“You know,” Alta said, “Mr. Brookings’ pride 
is like cast-iron, and it will require double strength 
to break it.” 

“Yes,” her friend answered, “and if I mistake 
not your sister’s pride is comparable to amalga- 
mated metal, and it takes an expert, I have been 
told, to successfully weld together cast-iron and 
amalgam, so I think we must be careful lest 
in our attempt to press together these overheated 
metals, we allow them to separate in the anneal- 
ing and flowing in opposite directions settle into 
hardened lumps.” 

“We will have to work by strategy, and I was 
thinking if we could get the two here and each 
without a knowledge of the other’s presence, we 
might in some way, I hardly know what, succeed 
in that which we have undertaken,” Miss Towns- 
ley said, speaking in deep thought. “I feel that 
we must do something for those two proud and 
foolish people,” she continued. “I advised Win- 
nie to write her lover a note of apology, but I 
know she will never conquer her pride to do 
so.” 

“I believe I have thought of a plan to get Mr. 
Brookings here and your mentioning a note ha* 


The Seal of Destiny. 207 

brought it to mind,” the fair young hostess said. 
“We are to have an entertainment at the church 
of which both myself and my cousin are members, 
and I have been requested to see him and find out 
if he is going to help us with it, and instead of 
going to his office to interview him, I will send 
him a note requesting him to call here about 
noon to-morrow and you and your sister are to 
come here to-morrow to luncheon.” 

If at times, feeling that she was treading upon 
dangerous ground in thus playing the part of 
strategist with the proud man in whose interest 
she was working and of whom she stood in awe. 
Alta found herself wavering and thinking that 
perhaps after all she had better not attempt to 
carry out her plans lest she only thereby make 
an enemy of him, one look at the sad expression 
upon her sister’s features would be sufficient to 
inspire her to new courage. Therefore, with a 
foreboding of failure she took the reins and 
started the pony on the journey that she but faintly 
hoped was bringing to an end this unpleasant 
affair. It was with difficulty Miss Townsley per- 
suaded her sister to accept the invitation to dine 
out, and only prevailed upon her to do so by point- 
ing out to her what a breach of good breeding it 
would be to not go when the promise had been 
made and they were expected. 

“But, sister,” Winifred said, “you know my 
heart is too heavy just now for me to enjoy society 
and this is going to the very house where I first 

met my ” here the unhappy girl broke down 

and wept bitterly. 

“I know it will be an ordeal, my dear,” the. 


208 The Seal of Destiny. 

elder sister said, soothingly, “but I think it will 
do you good to get away from home for a few 
hours, and for this, as well as for my sake, I hope 
you will make up your mind to go.” 

With a feeling that it would in some way miti- 
gate the pain at her heart, Winifred clad her- 
self in the gown which she had worn on the oc- 
casion of her first meeting Mr. Brookings, and be- 
fore leaving her room slipped the engagement ring, 
which she had not worn in a fortnight, on her 
finger, lest the lady whom they were to visit might 
notice her hand without it. Although pride 
prompted the act, it proved to be the redeeming 
one for her. 

It is seldom things turn out as wished for, 
and after planning and contriving and building 
up hopes, the inevitable so frequently brings about 
results altogether different from those expected, 
that when occasionally the sought for end is ob- 
tained it comes as a surprise ; and so Miss Towns- 
ley felt as she descended the stairs, with her sis- 
ter, leading her, all unconsciously to the one for 
whom her heart yearned but to whom she never 
would have voluntarily gone. The hostess had 
taken them to her sitting-room above as prear- 
ranged with Alta, and when Mr. Brookings arrived 
an hour later, she went down herself to admit 
him that she might get him seated in a position 
where he could not see the girls as they came 
downstairs. After talking for a time with him, 
she asked to be excused, and as she rejoined them 
carelessly said to Alta, “Miss Townsley, you and 
Winnie go down to the parlor and I will be down 
soon and then we will go to the dining-room.” 


209 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Winifred crossed the room and turned to take 
a seat before she noticed her fiance. Seated to 
the left of the door, Mr. Brookings saw the ring 
on her finger the first thing, and his heart beat 
rapidly as the thought, that she still considered 
herself engaged to him, flashed upon him. With 
calm outward demeanor, however, he rose and 
with his usual polish, turning to Alta said, "It 
seems that I am here unexpected, by one of the 
ladies at least, and perhaps under the circum- 
stances I had better excuse myself and bid you 
good-day.” But Winifred said hastily, while her 
face flushed: 

"It is not necesary, for if you and sister wish 
to have a private interview, I will leave the room.” 
She spoke haughtily and started toward the door, 
which Alta having purposely remained near, 
quietly closed and locked, dropping the key in 
her pocket. 

"Now,” she said, "if you two will only be rea- 
sonable and give me a hearing, you will soon know 
.why I have made you prisoners. Long ago I 
came to the conclusion that it is every one’s duty 
to do all they can to alleviate suffering, to soothe 
pain and disappointment, to brighten the lives of 
those about us and as often as possible lift the 
burden from weary hearts, and to never allow 
oneself to be the immediate cause of unhappiness 
or pain. A course which if we pursue, purchases 
for ourselves happiness at very little cost, a fact 
which you know as well as do I. Probably you 
have never either of you thought that you should 
ever, through a little bit of pride which seems un- 
conquerable, commit the grave error of causing 


210 The Seal of Destiny. 

the sharpest pain that loving, trusting hearts 
could be called upon to endure, yet such is the 
case as it now stands. Each of you is longiijg 
with all your heart to take the other back, but 
you are both allowing a false pride to rule you.” 
As Alta spoke Winifred had dropped into a chair 
and was shedding tears freely while her fiance 
stood with folded arms and head down, evidently 
struggling to retain the mastery of himself. 

“Therefore,” Miss Townsley continued, “I mean 
to act as peacemaker and put an end to the suffer- 
ing, by bringing back to a proud man his equally 
proud bride.” Then taking the weeping girl by 
the hand, Alta led her unresistingly to the lover 
who waited to receive her, saying as she put her 
in his arms, “She is a precious charge, but I will 
intrust her to you.” 

With heart too full for words the proud man 
bowed his acknowledgment of the priceless gift 
while he folded her to his bosom. Turning to 
leave the room Alta audibly remarked, “It takes 
ingenuity to make a successful strategist.” Hear- 
ing which, the two humbled spirits realized that 
it was not by chance they had thus so unexpectedly 
met, but on the contrary the meeting had been 
carefully thought out, planned and executed by 
the sincere interest and kindness of two gentle 
women. 

Awhile thereafter as Alta passed through the 
hall, Winifred called her to come into the parlor 
as Mr. Brookings wished to speak to her. 

“I want to thank you, Miss Townsley, for this, 
the noblest piece of work, according to my view 
at least, that you have ever done- or will probably 


211 


The Seal of Destiny. 

have the opportunity of doing, and while my 
whole heart goes out in gratitude to our loving 
peacemaker, may I not assume the privilege of a 
brother and press one kiss upon those gentle lips 
that have done such invaluable service for me to- 
day?” So earnestly did he ask it, and with such 
fervor in the tone, that struck with the reverence 
discernible in his deportment toward herself, Alta 
lifted her face and granted the request. Leav- 
ing the room with apparent composure, she drew 
a long breath when out of hearing, saying, “I 
would not have the courage to go through with 
this again if lovers were never reunited. That 
man is altogether too stiff for me, and I shall 
never forget that kiss ; there was too much of the 
awe-inspiring in it.” 


212 The Seal of Destiny. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

Returning from Texas about the first of Sep- 
tember rested and refreshed, Alta was pleased with 
the approval of her general appearance as ex- 
pressed by her many friends, but when Professor 
Lamar 'ing said, “You are looking wonderfully 
well, Miss Townsley, and the roses have returned 
to your cheeks,” she thought, from the way 
her face burned there must be fire there instead, 
while she was conscious that her heart was beat- 
ing with unusual rapidity. “Did you enjoy your 
visit south?” he asked. 

“I did,” she answered, “very much. I have an 
invitation to go back in November to attend my 
sister’s wedding. Do you think we can arrange 
for me to go?” 

“I think so,” the professor replied. “I can get 
Mr. Rhey to take charge of your class for a 
few days.” Then looking keenly at her he said, 
“I presume you know that Mr. Rhey and Miss 
Cole are engaged?” 

“Yes, they were betrothed before I left;” and 
so indifferent was her answer, that her employer 
said to himself : 

“I cannot understand why Miss Townsley did 
not accept Mr. Rhey. I am almost certain he pro- 
posed to her when visiting her so frequently last 


213 


The Seal of Destiny. 

spring, but,” he thought musingly, “one never 
knows what a woman is going to do. One thing 
however, I do know : Miss Townsley will never have 
a chance to marry a better or more respected 
man.” While Professor Lamar'ing was thinking 
thus of Alta, there was running parallel with the 
thought a singular feeling of gladness that by re* 
maining unmarried he would the longer have hei 
to help him with his school. That was what he 
thought to be the reason, but it did not account 
for the pleasure he felt at having her back again. 

He tried to excuse himself by saying he was 
always glad to have his friends with him, which 
was the truth, but had he been confronted with 
the question, if that was the only reason, his very 
truthfulness would have caused him to evade an- 
swering. 

A vague intuition that her employer’s feelings 
toward herself were gradually becoming carved in 
deeper grooves, that underneath the surface the 
prompting to a stronger sentiment was dimly 
perceptible, made Alta think it best on her re- 
turn, to change her abiding place to another part 
of the city, making the excuse to her employer that 
the daily exercise of walking to her work would 
be a benefit to her, which she knew it would. She 
did not know, however, that destiny was drawing 
the final threads through the invisible net it had 
from eternity been weaving about this child of its 
own, nor did she rebel when she awakened to the 
knowledge that the last strand of a bitter fate 
had been so interwoven into her life that it must 
thenceforward be inseparable from her and to a 
degree must always cloud her sunshine. 


214 The Seal of Destiny. 

“The happy wedding that you hoped for will 
take place some time about the holiday season,” 
Miss Cole said to Alta soon after her return, “un- 
less something happens between now and then to 
prevent it,” she continued. 

“You are determined to not place absolute con- 
fidence in your prospective nuptials until the cere- 
money is safely over with, I see,” Alta answered, 
smiling at the girl’s continued disposition to ad- 
mit the uncertainties of things. 

“I came near losing my betrothed while you 
were away through a strategic attempt to prove 
his loyalty,” Cora Alice said, and she then re- 
lated to her friend the part she had played in the 
summer’s drama. “I suppose you would not have 
done such a thing, your natural kindness would 
have made you more liberal in trusting. Would 
you?” she asked, smiling at Miss Townsley’s as- 
tonished expression. 

“Shall I tell you frankly whether I would have ?” 
Alta asked, and receiving the answer in the af- 
firmative, she continued, “No, I surely would not. 
I should never have had the courage to under- 
take it with Mr. Rhey or any other man. As a rule, 
men are proud of their integrity, I think, and like 
to feel that a woman trusts them, and I cannot 
understand how Miss Cole mustered the courage 
to do it when she was thereby taking her chance 
of not only offending the one whom I believe she 
loves, but of losing him altogether. If you want 
a man to love you, my dear, you must let him 
know you are trusting him and if he at all merits 
your confidence, the belief that you are relying 


The Seal of Destiny. 215 

upon him only stimulates him to a greater effort 
to make himself worthy of that confidence.” 

Thinking of the unhappy ending such an affair 
might have brought about, Alta said, “Will you 
grant me the privilege of reading you a homily, 
my dear?” 

“I will listen with pleasure to anything you 
have to say,” Miss Cole replied. 

“Then let me say to you that if you wish to 
find happiness in life you must cultivate a spirit 
of trust toward your fellow-beings, and should you 
have doubt about any one’s intentions .toward you, 
go about in a quiet way, sifting the question 
in your own mind and find if you can what their 
object might be in wishing to deceive you, then if 
you fail in finding any, be satisfied that your 
fears were unfounded ; but above all things try to 
have confidence in your fellowmen next to the con- 
fidence you have in your God, who created both 
them and you, if you hope for happiness in this 
world. 

“I never could, and I know you do not, either, 
think that humanity, God’s noblest work, is as 
given to deceit as many prejudiced minds try to 
make us believe it is. I, myself, find happiness by 
always seeking for a merit to counterbalance any 
fault which I happen to see in any one with whom 
1 come in contact.” Kissing her warmly when 
she had ceased speaking, Cora Alice said : 

“You have gained the highest altitude, I think, 
of womanly perfection, the one height that few 
of us reach or even hope to obtain and fewer still 
strive for, and your parents could not have more 
rightly named you; but I doubt if when they de- 


216 The Seal of Destiny. 

tided to call you Alta, they thought of its being 
an abbreviation of altitude.” 

When Mr. Rhey sent up his card it was with 
a feeling of trepidation that Alta descended the 
stairs. She had not met him since the evening, 
weeks before, when she had enraged him by threat- 
ening to leave the Springs if he did not. As 
she entered the parlor and he came forward to 
greet her, saying as he pressed her hand warmly, 
“You are looking well and rosy,” her courage 
returned and she answered, smiling at his blushes: 
“And you are looking well and happy.” 

“I am happy,” he said, scrutinizing her face 
to see if there might be a shade of disappointment 
there, and discovering none, he continued, “Since 
Miss Townsley could not find it in her heart to 
consent to make me happy, I have found that Miss 
Cole fills the place perfectly in my life, which I 
once would not believe any one in the world but 
Miss Townsley could fill. You escaped me by go- 
ing down into Texas,” he said looking fondly at 
her, “and while you were away it seemed the most 
natural thing for me to transfer my love from you 
to your dearest friend. Do not misunderstand me 
now,” he went on, “to mean that Miss Cole has it 
all, for Miss Townsley still has a share and always 
will have.” 

“I am very glad to have a friend’s portion, and 
shall always appreciate it,” Alta answered, think- 
ing as she spoke of the letter he had once written 
her, wherein he had declared that a combination 
of the three great unsurveyed regions would not 
be allowed to stand in the way of his reaching 
her. 


217 


The Seal of Destiny. 

“It seems/’ she thought, smiling to cover a tinge 
of disappointment of which she was conscious, 
“that instead of bringing together such a won- 
derful triplicity of nature as a safeguard to my- 
self, all that was necessary to turn the current of 
his love to flowing in another channel was to put 
the channel of the Eed Eiver, which is not so 
very wide, between us ; but one never knows what 
a man is going to do/’ she said, which were ex- 
actly the words the professor had only the day be- 
fore applied to herself. “I am delighted to know 
you are going to marry Miss Cole. She is a sweet 
girl, and in honoring her with your name you will 
lose nothing, for she will reflect it back upon you 
in beautiful refulgence and become to you not only 
in name but literally a ray , — a light to shine about 
you and illumine your path through life/’ Miss 
Townsley said, as she offered her congratulations 
to her quondam lover. 

Going back to Texas in November to attend 
her sister’s wedding, Alta was pleased to learn 
that all had been going on harmoniously between 
those two of late, while both were supremely happy 
over their approaching nuptials. 

“I have found out that when dealing with Mr. 
Brookings, I am dealing with an extremely sen- 
sitive and haughty nature, and the only way to get 
along in peace with him is to never oppose him 
in anything. He has broken me of some of my 
bad habits, and one is that of pouting, when a 
thing did not please me.” 

“How has he managed that?” Alta asked, smil- 
ing at her sister’s earnestness, while her thoughts 
were that Winifred would have an unpleasant task 


218 


The Seal of Destiny. 

in trying to curb her natural inclinations always 
to please him. “If Mr. Brookings is not satisfied 
with her disposition to pout once in awhile and 
cry when she feels like it, then he should have 
selected some one for his wife whose temper suits 
him better, thus saving himself the trouble of un- 
dertaking to remould a human nature.” 

“He cured me of pouting by looking so cross 
and acting so sternly toward me for it, and created 
such a fear of himself in my heart, that I dared 
no longer indulge in it. He took me driving the 
other day for the purpose of scolding me, because 
I had displeased him, and when I commenced to 
shed tears he reproved me for that, saying he did 
not like to see my eyes red from weeping,” Wini- 
fred replied. 

“Do you think you are going to be happy with 
Mr. Brookings, sister?” Miss Townsley asked. 

“I do, for he is a lovely man. To me he is fault- 
less. I have no doubt but that I have deserved 
every reprimand he has ever given me, and if not, 
why he has thought I did.” 

“I hope you will be happy, my dear, but you 
must always take great pains to please your hus- 
band. You know j^our name signifies a lover of 
peace, and as such you must prove yourself to 
be,” Alta answered, amused at Winifred’s dispo- 
sition to defend her fiance. 

Nothing was spared to make the wedding the 
most attractive affair of the season, and it was one 
that would long be remembered with pleasure by 
members of the social circles of which the con- 
tracting party were both luminaries. The music 
upstairs, in the church where the marriage was 


219 


The Seal of Destiny. 

solemnized, was responded to by the organ below, 
and this echo, sacredly sweet, and sounding so 
far away, had a saddening effect upon Alta. The 
softened strains played as a reverberation to the 
more joyous peals from the orchestra above were as 
a sad refrain, and to her, suggestive of the subdued 
chord that a year hence would be rebounding 
against the paeans of this memorable evening. 
That love triumphant now would in a twelve 
months, be mourning in sack-cloth and ashes. 
Seeing every one else happy she wished she could 
give herself up to the enjoyment of the evening 
and let the future take care of itself. 

As the nearest relative Alta was first to offer 
congratulations. Standing with his beautiful 
bride leaning upon his arm, the new-made hus- 
band looked as if his happiness was complete, and 
as she said, “l sincerely wish you joy through 
life,” in a low tone, he replied: 

“Take the credit of my present happiness all to 
yourself, my sister, for to you I owe it.” Alta 
knew from his earnestness, that he had nothing 
but gratitude in his heart for her, for the part she 
had taken toward an armistice when he and Wini- 
fred were at war, and the fear, that perhaps, he 
would have preferred that they remain estranged 
at that time, was at rest. 

After a complete course at the university, hav- 
ing graduated with first honors, Herbert Towns- 
ley returned to his father’s home a broad shoul- 
dered and finely developed young man, for while 
his brain had expanded and absorbed a vast amount 
of knowledge, his physical culture had not beeti 


220 The Seal of Destiny. 

neglected and the outdoor sports indulged in had 
increased and hardened his muscle, giving him 
superior strength over the most of his classmates. 

In his features, Herbert resembled Alta very 
much, and especially about the eyes, for there was 
the same dreamy far-away expression there that 
made his sister’s so attractive. 

He was considered a fine-looking fellow while 
his kind disposition and pleasant ways made him 
well liked by all. 

Through the influence of friends young Mr. 
Townsley was offered a position as assistant pas- 
tor of a church in St. Louis with a chance to do 
missionary work in the branch churches of the 
suburbs, and as mission work was what he had pre- 
pared himself for, he accepted this call as a direct 
answer to his prayer for guidance to a field of use- 
fulness. 

He would not, however, assume these new duties 
until the autumn, as he wished to spend the 
summer with his parents, and while there he was 
initiated in his future work by occasionally being 
called upon by some one or another of the resi- 
dent ministers who for various reasons might want 
to leave their flocks for a few days to the care of 
another. One pastor having thus engaged Her- 
bert’s services had instructed his servant that if 
any one called, during his absence, they were to be 
shown into the library, where Mr. Townsley would 
be found ready to wait on them. 

A young countryman bringing his bride-elect 
into the city to get married was, upon making in- 
quiries for a minister, directed to this house and 
the servant greatly surprised young Townsley by 


221 


The Seal of Destiny. 

swinging open the door and announcing the bridal 
party, six or eight in number, as some one who 
wanted to see the minister. One quick glance at 
the crowd and instinctively he felt that he had a 
wedding on his hands, for they all looked sheep- 
ish, and when the spokesman said, “Are you the 
minister ?” it was with an effort he controlled 
himself to say calmly that he was, or at least 
was trying to fill the pastor’s place for a few 
days. 

“What can I do for you ?” he asked. 

“This here fellar, and this young lady want ter 
git married, sir. Can yer do the job ?” the rustic 
answered, nodding his head to each in turn to in- 
dicate whom he meant. Herbert’s first impulse 
was to advise them to seek an older minister, but 
on second thought he knew he must do these things 
some time, and felt that he had as well begin then, 
bo with heart beating till he fancied he could hear 
it, he answered: 

“I think I can, and if the contracting party 
will step to the front, 1 will undertake to perform 
the ceremony according to the ritual of the church 
of which I am an ordained minister.” So great 
was the girl’s embarrassment as the would-be hus- 
band took her arm and drew her forward, that the 
young pastor felt all the sympathy of his warm 
nature go out to her while he took in her general 
appearance at one glance, her white lawn dress, 
yellow waist ribbon, straw hat and sun-browned 
hands, which told plainly that they were accus- 
tomed to field work. Her features, though ple- 
beian, were rather pretty, but were spoilt by her 


222 The Seal of Destiny. 

bashfulness as she tremblingly answered the ques- 
tions. 

“I wonder if that fellow married us right," 
the bride said, who, when on the street with her 
friends was all over her timidity. “Some way 
I don’t believe he did,” she continued. 

“I don’t know, I am sure ; never seen it done be- 
fore, but I guess he done the job right,” the groom 
answered : 

“I suppose it would make no difference to you 
whether he did or not,” the girl replied, begin- 
ning to pout. 

“It would too make a difference to me, honey. 
Don’t you suppose I want ter know whether I’ve 
got a wife or not ?” 

“I don’t believe that man was a minister, he 
looked too young,” one of the young women in 
the company remarked, and this caused them to 
stop on the sidewalk and discuss whether they were 
man and wife; and as none in the crowd seemed 
satisfied as to the validity of their nuptials, the 
groom said: 

“Well, honey, if you are not satisfied, we will go, 
if you say so, to an older minister and have him do 
it over for us.” And this they did, going to an 
elderly man for the purpose. 

Altnough Herbert successfully concealed his 
agitation and with dignity performed the cere- 
mony, yet when it was over, and the door was 
closed on the party he drew a full breath and wiped 
the perspiration from his brow while he compared 
their rural appearance to the natives of the Ozarks 
with whom his life was at one time cast, and from 
this his thoughts drifted to Alta, whom he had not 


223 


The Seal of Destiny. 

seen since she had left their mountain home. “I 
am sorry,” he said, “that she did not remain in St. 
Louis, since I am to be located there. Once I am 
settled, I intend to try to persuade her to come and 
live with me. She would be an excellent help in my 
mission work, and I am sure I will need her more 
than that professor in the Hot Springs does; any 
way, I am going to rob him of her if I can,” not 
thinking when he carelessly used the verb transi- 
tive that it could be literally applied to the pro- 
fessor. 

Once in St. Louis, Herbert rented a cottage 
and securing an elderly woman as housekeeper set- 
tled down to Christian work. He appreciated the 
honor of the position given him as assistant pastor 
of a church of wealth, but the work his soul de- 
lighted in was that of rescuing neglected children 
from the alleys and by-ways, and many a waif 
found a temporaty retreat under the roof of his 
cottage home. Once a child was snatched from 
its lowly surrounding and bound over to foster 
parents or placed in some institution, he never 
lost sight of it or its welfare and it was 
in this work that the young minister knew his 
sister would be of valuable service to him. There- 
fore, in every letter he wrote her he asked her to 
consider the question of coming to St. Louis, and 
while being the mistress of his home be also his 
helpmeet. 

Miss Townsley had of late questioned whether 
she should resign, or remain indefinitely as a 
teacher in the school, and her love for her brother 
made her think very seriously of making the 
change, but always when almost decided to re- 


224 The Seal of Destiny. 

turn to her former city there would seem to be 
a cord holding her there — a silent undercurrent 
laving her heart and drowning out any inclination 
to leave her valued employer, whom she knew would 
miss her sadly. Had she been aware that this de- 
sire to remain had its source in her own theory, 
that the unseen forces were in this matter but 
silently working out her destiny, her very high 
sense of honor and quick concession to the rights 
of others would have decided her at once what 
steps to take. 

Afterwards, when recalling the unexpected way 
she had been given this position as teacher in an 
almost unthought of city, Miss Townsley was 
unwavering in her belief that Providence had di- 
rected her there for the purpose of revealing to 
her the situation that must debar her from that 
perfect happiness that a soul experiences when 
it finds the other soul which makes it life com- 
plete. 


The Seal of Destiny. 225 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

It was one of those indescribable autumn days 
when the sun sheds a golden light over the earth, 
giving to all objects beautifully rounded outlines, 
and inspiring the artists to an almost frenzied 
desire to reproduce it in realistic touches upon can- 
vas, — a desire, however, that the human heart will 
never see fulfilled. 

The far-away purple mountains, the brilliantly 
colored forests and the somber tones of the grain 
fields, lying on the hillsides dividing the distance 
from the middle distance, and themselves divided 
by the meandering of a sparkling brook which had 
its birth in a spring upon the mountain side, were 
all softened and beautifully blended by the haze 
that hung like an invisible drapery over every- 
thing, while the bright scarlet of the sumac leaves, 
the rich crimson of its berries, the dark green 
foliage of the holly, the ochre colored leaves of the 
maple and the various shades of brown among the 
oaks, with the purple of the grapes hanging in 
clusters from vines which had clung for years 
undisturbed by the woodman’s ax, to trees the 
age of which was lost in antiquity, all combined 
made a panorama that nature alone, with her 
brush dipped deeply into the colors of the season, 
could paint. And over it all that wonderful 


226 


The Seal of Destiny. 

splendor was thrown by the subdued rays of the 
sun, which seemed to be making an effort to shine 
at all. 

Standing on the upper gallery of the hotel, Miss 
Townsley was enjoying the scenery and watching 
with interest the cumulating of some vapory clouds 
that sailing majestically over, seemed to linger 
above the highest point of the mountain. She was 
noticing the effects of the high lights, throwing 
out in bold relief the portion facing the sun and 
blending beautifully with the underneath shadow 
and thinking as she watched them how possibly 
some student of the palette and brush was from 
some vantage point attempting to portray them 
on canvas. 

Her pleasant reveries were presently interrupted 
by an employee handing her a letter, which proved 
to be from Winifred, who for some time had been 
writing in a strain that convinced Alta that all 
was not flowing as smoothly as it should, and in 
this letter she said, “I cannot understand my hus- 
band, for do what I may it does not please ; in fact 
he is so fastidious that I do not believe it is possi- 
ble to please him, and sometimes I am inclined 
to think that he does not love me as he once 
did.” 

These letters from her sister always had a de- 
pressing effect upon Alta. She had foreseen these 
conditions before they were married. “Mr. Brook- 
ings is disappointed 'because he has failed to find 
that in his wife which his soul craved, and through 
disappointment has grown more distant and 
haughty than before. He has evidently settled 
down to get what satisfaction he can out of his 


227 


The Seal of Destiny. 

books and his wife is trying to find pleasure in 
society and by so doing, I am afraid she will only 
widen the gulf between them,” she said. “I am 
sorry,” she continued, “that they are unhappy, but 
it is the natural result of a union of lives that 
Providence never meant for each other.” 

Miss Townsley’s way of throwing off depres- 
sion was to go for a ramble and she often said 
she needed no other stimulant for such a purpose 
than a close communion with nature in its wild- 
est haunts. 

Going up the winding mountain path until 
she reached an elevation that gave her a view of the 
city beneath, very appropriately called the city of 
the valley of vapors, Alta seated herself on a stone 
to rest and enjoy the scene, when, hearing voices, 
she turned and was delighted to see Professor and 
Mrs. Lamar'ing approaching. 

“Have you ever thought, Miss Townsley,” the 
professor said, after his greeting, “how useful as 
ornaments these balls of the sweet gum-trees are ?” 
holding a large bunch of them in his hand. 

“No, I have not,” Alta answered; “but I have 
noticed how frequently the tree which bears them 
figures in the plantation melodies.” 

“I have noticed that also,” he replied. “I 
was calling on a poor woman the other day who 
was ill, and was pleased to see a bunch of these 
pretty balls, made white by being first dipped 
in water and then in flour, filling a vase on the 
table and giving to the room, which was clean, 
though poorly furnished, a pleasant and refresh- 
ing air. They were put there by her little daugh- 
ter in a loving attempt to make things cheerful 


228 The Seal of Destiny. 

under discouraging circumstances. On another oc- 
casion I knew a lady who was spending her life 
in mission work, the small remuneration for which 
she usually spent on some poverty-stricken family, 
thus many times leaving herself without the means 
to purchase the necessaries of life, who by sprin- 
kling a bunch of them with bronze powder, giving 
them a beautiful golden effect, made herself a 
pretty and becoming trimming for her bonnet, 
which she must otherwise have worn without.” 

While relating these simple facte, Professor 
Lamar'ing was unconsciously revealing to his in- 
terested listener an entirely new trait. 

She had always considered him as one whose 
mind soared to such lofty heights of knowledge 
that he had no time for the common affairs of 
life, and now she felt an even greater admiration 
for the man whose position admitted him to the 
best society yet who did not disdain to go among 
the very poor. “He is a Christian of the right 
kind and if there were more like him the world 
would be the better,” she said. 

One thing Miss Townsley was not aware of, 
and would have been thunderstruck had she 
been enlightened on the subject was that her 
admiration for her interesting employer was be- 
coming tinged with the beautiful coloring of love ; 
but as yet so imperceptibly were the two feelings 
blending that she was not apprised of the intru- 
sion of a stronger sentiment that was fast bringing 
her to the summit of happiness, but only that 
from the high elevation she might look down into 
the vale of despair without the comfort of one 
faint ray of hope. 


229 


The Seal of Destiny. 

"I came out to-day to look for empty bird’s 
nests,” Miss Townsley said, directing her speech 
to Mrs. Lamar'ing. “I suppose I am old enough 
to have outgrown it, but it is a pastime of my child- 
hood that I have carried into my womanhood. 
Every year I promise myself that I will make it 
the last time I will indulge in it, but when the 
next autumn comes, I find myself yielding to 
the temptation to enjoy it once more.” 

“May I ask how you manage to get them down 
when you find them? They are usually built so 
high,” Professor Lamar'ing asked, his features 
showing amusement at this remnant of childish- 
ness in one so dignified as Alta. 

Looking suddenly up at the speaker, whose- 
very presence she had forgotten when she had 
confessed to this simple pleasure, she saw the 
amusement in his eyes and also a certain light 
that on a former occasion she had seen there. 
Blushing violently she dropped her eyelids, then 
recovering self-control, she answered: 

“I do not take the nests. I would not do such 
a thing, for many times they are used a second 
year. But when a child it was an annual amuse- 
ment with me to take paper and pencil and go to 
the woods as soon as the leaves were down enough 
to expose the nests and from that time until the 
weather became too cold to enjoy the rambles, I 
hardly let a day pass without thus entertaining 
myself, always keeping the lists I made for the 
purpose of comparing them at the close of the 
season; and all those lists I still have.” 

“What is the largest number you have sue- 


230 


The Seal of Destiny. 

ceeded in putting on your paper in one autumn ?” 
Professor Lamar'ing asked. 

“I think the greatest number I have down is 
fifty-eight,” Miss Townsley replied, wondering at 
the interest he was showing and looking into his 
eyes she was aware that her heart was beating more 
rapidly than normal. 

“The frost has not brought down the foliage 
enough yet for you to begin your autumn search, 
has it ?” the professor asked. 

“Hardly, for I see but very few of the trees 
have shed their leaves,” she answered. 

Rambling through the forests ablaze in their 
autumnal glory, Alta wondered if she could ever 
feel greater happiness than she felt just then. 
Her deep love for nature always produced ex- 
uberance of spirits, but to-day she was excessively 
light-hearted, and not until alone in her room 
did she awaken to the knowledge that the joy 
of the outing had been enhanced by her employer’s 
presence. It was not, however, a full realization 
of the truth, but only a faint dawning upon her 
soul that she experienced a pleasure when in his 
society that was a shade deeper than was the 
pleasure derived from the company of others. Had 
she known the truth she could have then saved her- 
self from the bitter disappointment that a short 
time thereafter she was obliged to fortify herself 
against. If the unawakened mind could only 
know, if the eye could penetrate the future, or if 
instinct would but guide the intellect aright, then 
would sorrow not so many times weigh down the 
human heart until no tears, though they flow un- 
restrainedly, can relieve the heavy burden. Were it 


The Seal of Destiny. 231 

possible to read the future, and so know what is 
best, then the poet could have written, “Maud Mul- 
ler’s” biography, in a happier strain. But destiny 
had full control of Miss Townsley’s life, as it has 
of every one’s and she was powerless to fight 
against it. 

“At the close of the present term, we must re- 
construct our school, Miss Townsley, for there 
are a number of new pupils coming in after the 
holidays, which will make it necessary to employ 
some extra teachers,” Professor Lamar'ing said to 
Alta, during the fall, “and if you wish to re- 
main with us you will be given the position of 
principal and your salary increased accordingly, 
while I shall assume the presidency. We have five 
weeks yet of this term, but I have spoken to you 
thus early so you will have plenty of time in 
which to decide whether you will stay or do as you 
have thought perhaps you would, go to St. Louis 
to work with your brother.” 

As he made this last remark, Professor Lamar'- 
ing was aware that a feeling of disappointment 
filled his breast at the mere thought of losing his 
assistant, but he was not aware that underneath 
his desire to keep her for the help she was to him 
was an even stronger desire to keep her because he 
enjoyed her society, or that his soul was awakening 
to a warmth that it had not before known and 
which was to terminate in the one great passion 
of his life, the love he was never able to re- 
press. 

A portion of humanity may scoff and say love 
is only a delusion and when one reaches the place 
where they thought it stood, like the mirage it 


232 The Seal of Destiny. 

is gone, or that the most insignificant occurrence 
will cause a deflection, but let those who make such 
declamation go seek the dell, the narrow valley of 
prejudice and hide themselves away, if they can, 
from the truth, the great heart-throbs of the 
world, and thus deprive themselves of the love 
that might perchance befall them should they 
stay in the open field. 

With an invisible influence at work within 
her heart creating there a desire to remain in 
the Springs, and her brother in a gentle loving 
way making it plain to her, in every letter he 
wrote, that he needed her in St. Louis and would 
not be happy until she was there, Alta had a battle 
to fight ; and at the beginning of the last week still 
found herself undecided. Every time he had men- 
tioned it the professor had said he should like her 
to remain, and she knew she should let him know 
in time to make other arrangements should she 
decide to go. 

“I am testing his patience/’ she thought, and 
a thrill of pleasure filled her heart as she felt cer- 
tain that were it any one but herself, to whom 
he was offering the position, the professor with his 
strict ideas of business would demand at least a 
week’s notice. “I must tell him to-day or to-mor- 
row what I shall do,” she said, as she put oh her 
hat and started out for a walk. 

Alta had become very warmly attached to the 
Hot Springs, with its environments of picturesque 
hills, its thermal waters and the heterogeneous 
mass of humanity that thronged the streets, and 
she did not like the thought of leaving it ; yet her 


233 


The Seal of Destiny. 

devotion to her brother was an incentive to her 
thinking very seriously of making the change. 

Going down the avenue she met her employer, 
and after his greeting he said, “I am sorry to 
hurry you, Miss Townsley, but I can give you no 
longer than to-day to decide if you will remain.” 
His voice was soft and low, but this did not pre- 
vent an angry feeling from taking possession of 
Alta when she heard his words, and with no effort 
to conceal it, she answered hotly : 

“I will certainly let you know before ten o’clock 
this evening;” and turning she walked away with- 
out another word. 

Thunderstruck, he hardly knew what to think 
of her. “Is it possible,” he queried, “that she 
and I have blindly fallen in love with each other ? 
Surely not.” He was too much dazed to compre- 
hend it. 

Love is of keen perception and quick to under- 
stand, and Professor Lamar'ing knew at once, what 
Alta would not deny to herself, + hat the hot flash 
of anger which caused her eyes to fill with tears, 
was produced by the mere fact of his having left 
it optional with her whether she would stay or 
not ; and instead of urging her to accept the posi- 
tion he offered her, had given her but a few hours 
longer to dally over it. 

Astonished, he looked after her for a moment; 
then, fairly overcome with the knowledge, and 
dreading lest friend or acquaintance might meet 
him and notice his agitation, he sought the seclu- 
sion of his private office. “I have been weak to 
allow myself to become infatuated with another, 
when I have always been so determined to keep my 


234 The Seal of Destiny. 

marriage vows and let no one come between my 
wife and myself,” he thought. Calling to mind 
Alta’s hurried parting and evident anger, his sonl 
was filled with pleasure as he thought, “I be- 
lieve I am not mistaken when I think she loves 
me in return.” But with this feeling of gladness 
was commingled one of provocation toward himself 
for thus drinking of the forbidden draught and 
enjoying it. “To love is not my privilege,” he 
said sadly, making an effort to dismiss her from 
his thoughts. But did he succeed? “I will not 
urge her to remain. It would not be right that 
I should under the existing conditions ; but if she 
goes away it will nearly” — he was about to say break 
his heart, but his high sense of honor and duty to 
his wife kept him from making such an admission 
even to himself. 

When Miss Townsley left Professor Lamar'ing 
so abruptly she returned to the hotel and, enter- 
ing her room, stood dazed and almost paralyzed, 
battling against fate. The thoughts surging 
through her brain were overwhelming. With a 
supreme effort she moved to a chair and dropped 
helplessly into it. After awhile reason returned, 
and with it the situation dawned upon her with 
all its sad truthfulness. “If he loves me, and 
I am afraid he does, as I am at last conscious of 
loving him, then is my destiny one of sorrow and 
disappointment; for, having found my affinity, 
I can never claim him as my own. If, on the 
contrary, the love is all on my part and my feel- 
ings are not reciprocated, why, then, it will not 
be lasting with me, because not stimulated by his, 
and therefore not by the direction of God. I feel 


235 


The Seal of Destiny. 

that I could never meet him again.” Her face 
burned with shame as she remembered how rude 
she must have appeared to the professor by her 
action of leaving him on the street. 

Fearing that he may have guessed at the cause 
of her petulance, a strange feeling came over her. 
Growing dizzy she pressed her palms to her tem- 
ples, and only by exertion kept herself from swoon- 
ing. “I vow I will never meet the man again,” she 
said, clenching her fists to emphasize it, “and as 
I cannot remain I will send him a note letting him 
know of my decision.” Her mind was filled with 
resentment toward herself for having brought 
about a state of affairs that debarred her from 
meeting the one under whom she had worked for 
more than two years. “I have never known before 
what love was or what unreasonable things it will 
lead one to do,” she said. “I understand now 
how Mr. McLenden must have suffered when he saw 
his love was not reciprocated.” And with a sad- 
ness at heart for all the unhappiness that mortals 
must endure, she dressed herself and went down 
to the parlor to pass away the afternoon as best 
she could. 

Had it occurred to Miss Townsley that the pro- 
fessor might call upon her she would have re- 
mained in her room instead, and excused herself 
when he sent up his card. However, she always 
believed their last meeting was the consummation 
of Providential plans to let her know that her 
hopes were shipwrecked. 

Questioning whether he should see Miss Towns- 
ley to ascertain her decision, Professor Lamar'- 
ing impelled by love — a feeling new and strange to 


236 The Seal of Destiny. 

him — made the excuse — though it did not at all 
satisfy his conscience when he remembered that 
she had promised to let him know — that it was 
necessary he should see her as he had business with 
her. In thus yielding to love’s prompting he was 
only doing that which any other man, either 
married or single, would have done — simply let 
inclination get the better hand of will-power. So 
blame him not, all ye who would read us a free 
homily on the subject. 

When her employer entered the parlor Alta 
sat near a window with a magazine in her lap. 
Approaching her the professor saw she was in a 
deep study as, with face partly averted, she was 
looking out of the window. 

“May I interrupt your reverie, Miss Townsley ?” 
he asked. 

Startled, she turned, and seeing who it was 
addressing her, rose, and extending her hand, 
said: 

“Certainly ; my reveries are not of so much im- 
portance that my friends could disturb them.” 
Although outwardly calm Alta was aware of the 
agitation within, and she realized that she was 
blushing painfully, while her heart beat so vio- 
lently that she feared he might hear it; but she 
was not aware that this was acting in unison with 
her own. 

“Have you decided as to your future course?” 
the professor said seating himself in the chair she 
offered him. 

“I have not,” she answered, speaking short. 
Thrilled to see that she was again displeased, he 


The Seal of Destiny. 237 

decided to further test her, by saying in a very busi- 
ness-like way: J 

“You know, Miss Townsley, if you are going 
away, you must let me know at once, for I have 
given you over a month and we are now in the 
middle of the week between Christmas and New 
Year and my school opens next Monday, so I can 
give you no longer. You must let me know what 
you are going to do.” 

“I shall not tell you until Monday morning, if 
I so choose,” Alta replied, flushing angrily, while 
her eyes filled with tears. She had again allowed 
disappointment to get the better of discretion. 

“Not until Monday morning ?” her employer re- 
peated, assuming great surprise and forcing him- 
self to look very stern while he concealed his amuse- 
ment. “Well, that is very pointed,” he said ; “and 
I suppose the only thing for me to do is to wait 
until Miss Townsley is ready to tell me, and then 
it may be too late for me to secure help; and if 
so I shall expect Miss Townsley to remain whether 
she wants to or not.” He was watching her closely 
and could read her as he might an open page. 

Rising, Alta said, making a great effort to ap- 
pear calm and business-like, “If you will excuse 
me, Professor Lamar'ing, I will let you know to- 
morrow.” 

“Certainly,” he answered, rising also. The as- 
sumed sternness was gone and his voice was gentle 
as he said, “One moment, Miss Townsley, please,” 
and taking her by the two shoulders he gently 
turned her around until she faced the window. 
One upward glance of inquiry at his action and 
with sudden and overwhelming force, it flashed 


238 The Seal of Destiny. 

upon her mind that the soul inhabiting the tall 
form in front of her was the one in all the world 
to which her own soul responded, and one brief 
look into the soft brown eye was all sufficient to 
tell her of the unmanumitted love that even at 
that moment was with its all but overpowering 
strength struggling to gain its liberty and strug- 
gling also to bear its captivity bravely and honora- 
bly. 

The one short look into each other’s eye as they 
stood facing, he with his hands resting upon her 
shoulders, had been understood by both and told 
the tale that neither would have dared to mention 
and yet neither with their high ideals of truth- 
fulness would have dared to deny. 

For one brief moment they stood, each soul 
completely absorbed by the other, conscious only 
of the truth that to every violent throb of the 
one heart the other as vehemently responded. In- 
toxicated by love they forgot as they read each 
other, that it was only a blissful dream and as 
such it must remain, when the- spell was broken 
by Alta calmly saying, "I will give this evening 
to serious thought over your proposition, Pro- 
fessor Lamar'ing, and will send you my decision 
to-morrow.” 

"Very well,” he answered quietly, then offering 
his hand which she warmly pressed he said, "good- 
by,” and left her without another word. 


The Seal of Destiny. 239 


CHAPTER XIX. 

“I am amazed at my weakness for having al- 
lowed myself to fall in love when I am not free 
to do so, and the thought of it is distracting,” 
Professor Lamar'ing said as he reached his office. 
“For love her I do, with all the strength that is 
within me. There is no use to deny it to myself 
nor would I to her, though to the world I must.” 

With his keen sense of honor the thought that 
thenceforward his life must be a falsehood as he 
went about under the pretense of loving one wo- 
man while concealing his devotion flowing from 
a heart overfull for another, almost overwhelmed 
him and with an agony known only to strong na- 
tures, he silently fortified himself to endure the 
disappointment. Yet, while he repeatedly vowed 
to be true to the one to whom he owed allegiance, 
his whole soul was going out in a hopeless unsatis- 
fied yearning for the personality that he had be- 
come so accustomed to having about him. 

Sternly determined to discipline himself against- 
yielding to love’s prompting, he went about the 
work in his school to which he expected to devote 
his life. The weight of sorrow on his heart and the 
almost unendurable longing for the one who 
was hourly uppermost in his thoughts, soon 


240 The Seal of Destiny. 

left their traces, and the shade of sadness upon 
his features, the quiet yet kindly disposition he bore 
toward all and a certain air of gravity that was 
ever noticeable about him, made his friends with- 
hold any disposition to gayety when in his presence, 
and wondering at the change in him some said he 
must not feel well, while others thought he was 
overworked, but none ever guessed the truth or 
suspected that disappointment was depressing him. 
His manner toward his wife, which had always been 
kind and affectionate, became tenderly considerate 
and he found many ways to show his interest in 
her that hitherto had not occurred to him, for his 
one great determination was to not allow himself 
and her to drift apart through any indifference of 
his. 

Once alone, Miss Townsley turned her thoughts 
to the Source from whence she drew all comfort 
and silently asked her Redeemer to stand by her 
now in this, her bitterest trial. Her prayer ended 
a sweet peace filled her mind, and she knew the 
Savior to whom she had espoused herself years 
ago was near to strengthen and encourage her to 
a renewal of those vows. Oblivious of the present 
she was living over again that winter day when she 
had laid the wreath upon her brow and on bended 
knees had with all the earnestness of a deep and 
thoughtful nature placed herself under a solemn 
obligation, and although there were no witnesses 
to those vows, made in the quiet woods in the still- 
ness of the early morn, and no response to her 
words save the whispering of the dry leaves as 
the breeze jostled them together, yet to her in dUl 
her girlish sincerity they were vows that were as 


241 


The Seal of Destiny. 

profoundly made and must be as sacredly kept 
as they should be were they made at the altar. 

“My love is simply the culmination, the fin- 
ished work of nature though not completed, since 
handicapped by that of man, which has been in 
process from eternity. Therefore, as it is no 
fault of mine there is nothing dishonorable about 
it. I bow in submission to this, my fate, which 
forbids my listening with pleasure to the one voice 
that was meant to blend with my own,” she said, 
making a supreme effort to retain her self-con- 
trol. 

“I here and now renew my pledge to be true 
to the instinct which has ruled my life, but 
with the amendment that I shall never marry any 
one,” she continued. Then remembering that her 
love was no secret to the one upon whom it was 
bestowed, the hot blood surged to her face and the 
tension under which she had labored for hours, 
yielding to a feeling of mortification, she broke 
down and wept long and bitterly. 

When at last she had mastered her grief it was 
to realize that the old self was forever gone and 
the new life which had just settled upon her must 
battle with pain and disappointment and through- 
out it all, strive to be brave and cheerful. 

Before she retired that evening she had kept 
her promise to let her employer know her decision 
and in a brief note told him she would go to St. 
Louis. To pen it at all required courage and she 
dared not add or prefix another word lest it be one 
too many, one that should have been neither writ- 
ten or spoken. 

"If she can write in a coldly business way to 


242 The Seal of Destiny. 

me, I can do the same for her,” Professor Lamar'- 
ing said. His face flushed with angry disappoint- 
ment as he read Alta’s note, and taking his pen 
he hastily wrote the following answer: 

“Miss Townsley — Dear Madam: Your note 
has been received and upon reconsidering it, I 
find I can dispense with your services in my 
school. I have a friend, a young man who applied 
to me some time since for a position and is ready 
at any time to take the place. I would be the last 
one to prevent your going to work for your brother. 

“Respectfully, 

“ W . T. Lamar'istg.” 

With the keenest resentment in his heart to- 
ward the woman he loved, the professor took up her 
letter and read it again, and as he sat thoughtfully 
studying it, it gradually dawned upon him that 
what she had not said on that page of note paper, 
expressed an hundredfold more of her feelings 
than what she had said. 

He understood it now, and reproaching himself 
for having for even a moment accused her of cold- 
ness he crushed the letter he had written and 
threw it aside, while a thrill of joy brightened his 
face as he became convinced that he had not been 
mistaken when he had thought he read reciproca- 
tion of his love in the one brief look into her beau- 
tiful eyes. There was a certain satisfaction in 
knowing that he was not loving without being 
loved, and that while his heart yearned with un- 
mitigated pain for her, she was just as strongly 
yearning for him, a sentiment voiced by the whole 
human family. 


The Seal of Destiny. 243 

With an ache at his heart the professor seated 
himself and wrote another note, saying: 

“My Dear Miss Townsley: I have just re- 
ceived your note stating your intention of return- 
ing to St. Louis, and with many regrets, not un- 
mixed with disappointment, I feel it my duty for 
your own sake to accept your resignation, as I know 
you need the rest, and the change will do you good. 
With sincerest regards, and deepest appreciation 
of your past services, I am very respectfully, yours, 
“W. T. Lamar'ing.” 

Knowing that this letter must go forth as 
the final message bringing to a close all relations 
between them, both business and social, the writer 
kept it on his desk for a couple of days. Finally, 
however, feeling that sentiment must yield to duty 
and fearing that Miss Townsley might be grow- 
ing impatient for an answer, he sealed and mailed 
it. 

On receiving this letter, Alta read it with a 
heaviness of heart. A feeling of despair settling 
upon her, she laid down the note which she felt 
was the final seal put upon her fate and finishing 
packing her trunk, was three hours thereafter on 
the train bearing her northward and away from 
her many friends and all the pleasant associations 
of the past two years. 

Not the same person now in many ways that she 
was when she took up the work in the botanic 
school. But a woman whose features bore marks 
of sadness. Her manner too was changed and 
[where once a smile had played over her countenance 


244 The Seal of Destiny. 

when she conversed, she now impressed her 
listener as being profoundly in earnest, while a 
certain dignity of bearing commanded for her the 
respect of all whom she met. 

“Time has wrought a great change in you, 
sister; you are not in the least like you were 
when you left our mountain home six years ago,” 
Mr. Townsley said soon after she was settled in 
his cottage. 

“Do you think so?” Alta asked. “You know,” 
she continued, “I was only a girl then, barely eigh- 
teen, and now I am a woman.” And there was 
such a strain of sadness in her voice that the young 
minister looked inquiringly at her, and quickly he 
realized that his sister was bowed under some 
great weight of sorrow or disappointment, he could 
not tell which; but he resolved to let it remain 
sacred to her alone, unless she of her own free will 
chose to unburden her mind to him. 

Thinking that the suffering belonged to her- 
self and one other, Miss Townsley was determined 
that to them it should remain sacredly closed 
by the seal of destiny. 

So the gentle brother never knew that through 
the mistake of one person hurrying into marriage 
before he had weighed the question well or was 
conscious of the solemnity of the step he was 
taking, two exemplary lives, predestined to become 
united and blended into one, were forced to travel 
diverging paths, though each found the way lonely 
and at times overcast with a gloom so dense that 
to penetrate it with a ray of hope seemed impos- 
sible, while running all through the tenor of their 
lives were the subdued strains of the minor chord. 


The Seal of Destiny. 


245 


CHAPTER XX. 

“Will you be provoked with me, sister, if I tell 
you something that I have purposely kept from 
you lest if you knew it you might not make up 
your mind to come and live with me?” Herbert 
said to Alta a few days after she had come to his 
home. 

“I will try not to,” she answered wonderingly. 

“Well,” he said taking her hand and looking 
keenly into her face, “Mr. McLenden is one of 
the leading members of my church, and is also 
a co-worker with me in the mission field and I 
see him almost every day.” This unexpected piece 
of news caused Alta’s cheek to pale and her heart 
beat rapidly as she asked: 

“Does he know I am here?” 

“Yes,” her brother answered, “he has asked me 
every time we have met, if you were here yet, or 
if I thought you would come at all ; and with your 
permission he would be pleased to call on you. 
Mr. McLenden is, like myself, destined to be an 
old bachelor,” Mr. Townsley continued, watching 
his sister’s face to see what effect this news would 
have upon her. She surprised him by appearing 
indifferent about her former lover’s single state, 
however, by simply remarking: 

“And I am destined to be an old maid.” 


246 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Wondering at the sadness in her voice, Mr. 
Townsley answered: 

“This is an announcement that I am selfish 
enough to feel glad to hear you make. I do not 
see how you can avoid meeting Mr. McLenden 
sooner or later,” he continued, “for he not in- 
frequently has business with me that brings him 
here.” 

“I shall not try to avoid meeting him,” she 
answered calmly. “And he may call any time he 
chooses.” 

Now that she was sure Mr. McLenden was not 
the one whom she should marry, Miss Townsley felt 
that for the sake of pleasant memories she should 
rather like to see him again and she determined to 
fortify herself against showing any perturbation 
on the occasion of their first meeting. 

Fearing she might be nervous over it, should 
she know when to expect him, Herbert thought best 
to say nothing and one day brought the artist 
unannounced to dine with them. 

Returning from making some calls and wish- 
ing to speak to her brother, not knowing he had 
company, Alta opened the library door without 
first rapping. Stepping inside she gave a slight 
start as she saw the visitor, then advancing with 
a smile and extended hand she said : 

“I am glad to meet you again, and I am de- 
lighted to know that you are my brother’s right- 
hand man in his church and mission work.” As 
he grasped her hand warmly and held it, Mr. 
McLenden felt a thrill of joy as she uttered these 
words of welcome. 

“She is the earnest whole-souled woman that 


247 


The Seal of Destiny. 

her girlhood gave promise of,” he thought and 
instinctively he felt that he would be impelled to 
take a firm stand against his inclinations. 

Thinking they might feel under less restraint 
without his presence, Herbert after a few moments, 
excused himself and left the room. 

“It took me years to live down the disappoint- 
ment I felt over the way you hid yourself from 
me ; in fact, I never have been able to entirely live 
it down,” Mr. McLenden said, scrutinizing his Qom- 
panion’s face as he spoke. 

“And it took me years,” she returned smiling, 
“to live down the injured feeling I had over Mr. 
McLenden's accusation that I was not his friend. 
In truth, I have never yet gotten over it.” 

“You received my letter then ?” he asked in great 
surprise. 

“I did, and answered it,” Alta said amused at 
the blush that overspread his features. 

“I certainly never received your reply,” he re- 
turned, while he was conscious that the spark of 
love which had all these years smouldered within 
his heart would with a very little fanning burst 
into flame and he resolved to be on his guard. 

“You never received it,” Miss Townsley said 
feeling unusually light-hearted from the thought 
that at last she could set herself right, “because 
you succeeded in hiding yourself so securely from 
me that having no way to find out your address, 
I could not mail it to you.” Then she laughed 
outright at the thunderstruck expression that over- 
spread his face. 

“Well, great Abram !” he said, too much sur- 
prised to think what he was saying. This was 


248 The Seal of Destiny. 

the only unnecessary expression Mr. McLenden 
ever used and then it was only when overcome with 
surprise. “And in all these years, it has not oc- 
curred to me that while I was blaming you for 
hiding from me, instead I was hiding from you.” 

“Would you care to have the answer now? I 
have always kept it hoping that some time I might 
send it to you,” Alta said. 

“Yes, indeed,” he answered. 

“Here it is,” Miss Townsley said returning to 
the room after a few moments’ absence, “just as 
I put it away with your letter to which it was an 
answer.” 

“It is dated October 24th and mine was written 
in May, and yet it had just reached you?” he 
queried after reading the note. 

“It had only just reached me, and hoping to set 
myself right I immediately wrote the answer which 
after penning I remembered I could not address 
to you,” she replied. 

“May I read the letter which I wrote?” he 
asked. “I have almost forgotten what I said in 
it.” 

“Certainly you may,” Alta said handing him 
the envelope containing it. 

After reading it he said with eyes full of tears 
and so affected he could scarcely speak: 

“Judging from the answer you wrote you were 
hurt at my accusation.” 

And she answered truthfully: 

“I have no recollection of ever having suffered 
more acute agony than when reading your letter, 
and now that you know you have misjudged me 
all these years, I feel that a great weight has been 


249 


The Seal of Destiny. 

lifted from my mind and I am willing to let it 
now become an event of the past, so will put these 
few written words that have caused us both so 
much unhappiness back into the envelope and we 
will talk of something more pleasant.” Rising 
as she spoke to go put them away. 

“But you know, Miss Townsley,the answer which 
you wrote belongs to me,” Mr. McLenden said, 
rising also and standing in front of her, “so may 
I not have it?” 

“Why, certainly, if you care for it,” she re- 
plied, pulling it from the envelope and handing 
it to him. Taking out his notebook he carefully 
placed the missive between the pages, then put- 
ting the book back into the pocket nearest his heart 
Mr. McLenden said, taking Alta’s hand: 

“We will bury the past then, and be friends 
as ever?” 

“Yes,” she answered, looking into his eyes. 
Then overcome with emotion as the past in ret- 
rospection came to him, he forgot the resolve to 
be on his guard and keep himself in subjection, 
and the man who had never succeeded in conquer- 
ing his love suddenly put his arms about her and 
pressed her to his heart while his tears fell un- 
restrained on her hair as her head rested against 
his bosom. 

“You must promise me now,” Alta said as he 
let her go, “that you will exercise more self-con- 
trol hereafter or else I am afraid we will be com- 
pelled to see as little as possible of each other’s 
society.” 

And fearing lest he might lose her again he 
readily promised. 


250 The Seal of Destiny. 

Miss Townsley lost no time in interesting herself 
in her brother's work and plunged into it with 
such earnestness that he felt anxious about her 
lest she overwork. 

She visited the sick and the poor and gave many 
a discouraged one a kind word and helping hand, 
and any time she wished to go into the slums 
on an errand of mercy and her brother having 
other duties to attend to could not accompany her, 
she thought nothing of going up to Mr. McLenden’s 
studio and asking him to come with her, a request 
that he never refused, it mattered not how busy he 
might be. 

The destitute condition of a sick woman was 
brought to Mr. McLenden’s notice in the spring 
and after going once to see her it occurred to him 
that it was a case in which Miss Townsley could 
interest herself. 

“The woman is on charity and very sick,” he 
said to Alta, “and to make matters worse she has 
a. little child, or at least there was one playing 
about the room while I was there that I suppose is 
hers.” 

On entering this home of poverty, Alta found 
the woman, who was a widow, in "the last stage 
of consumption and thenceforward saw to it that 
she was made comfortable for her few remaining 
days. 

One day as she sat by the bedside the invalid 
said: 

“You will see that my baby Irene is placed in 
a home where she will be kindly treated, will you 
not. Miss Townsley, when I am gone?” 

“Certainly I wili; the church will take charge 


The Seal of Destiny. 251 

of her,” Alta replied crossing the room as she 
epoke, to where the child, a babe twenty months 
of age, lay sleeping in its crib, all unconscious that 
death was robbing it of its natural protector and in 
a few days it would be at the mercy of strangers. 

As she looked down on the little piece of human- 
ity her whole heart went out to it in sympathy 
and the question presented itself, “Why should 
she not take the little one and raise it?” Think- 
ing it over seriously she determined to speak to 
her brother about it. 

Noticing how sad his sister appeared so much 
of the time and thinking that the care of the 
child, upon whom he saw she had her heart set, 
might divert her mind and cheer her some, Mr. 
Townsley, rather pleased with the idea of bringing 
it to his home, gave his consent. 

The next day as she stood by the invalid’s bed- 
side, Alta said: 

“Mrs. Horton, I have decided to adopt your 
little Irene, and I am here to make you a solemn 
promise that so far as it is possible, I will fill a 
mother’s place to the child and raise her exactly 
as I would were she my own daughter ; and I wish 
to know if she has any relatives who could come 
in some time and take her from me; if so I will 
bring a lawyer and have papers made out so that 
could never happen.” 

Her countenance lighted with joy the mother 
directed Alta where to find papers recording her 
marriage and her child’s birth, but she said : 

‘‘You will have no kinsmen to fight, for her 
grand-parents are all dead and her father was 


252 


The Seal of Destiny. 

an only child and so am I, and when I am gone 

she will have no living relative.” 

A day or two after this the woman breathed her 
last, and Miss Townsley, who was at her bedside, 
took the wedding ring from her finger to keep 
for Irene, then going in the yard picked up the 
babe. Clad in a calico slip, her feet bare and hair 
tangled and full of dust, she looked the neglected 
child of poverty. 

Entering the house by the back in order to avoid 
meeting Herbert, who had not yet seen the child, 
Alta proceeded to clean it and by the free use 
of soap and water soon made a wonderful improve- 
ment in its appearance. Dressing it in dainty gar- 
ments previously purchased and brushing out its 
hair, which fell in natural ringlets about its neck 
and temples, Alta was delighted with the change 
thus wrought. 

“You have gone bare-footed the last day you ever 
will, my beautiful babe,” she thought, as she put 
the tiny slippers on its feet. 

“Here is our baby, Herbert,” she said as she 
entered the library. Looking in surprise and un- 
feigned admiration for a moment, he asked: 

“Is that it? I did not know you had brought 
her home yet. How is her mother to-day?” 

Being told she was dead a sadness filled his heart 
as he said: 

“Then the baby is really ours ?” 

“Yes, she is ours,” his sister answered. “What 
do you think of her ?” 

“I think she is a beautiful child. Will 
6he come to me?” he asked reaching his hands. 

“Certainly. Try her,” Alta replied* 


253 


The Seal of Destiny. 

Taking the babe in his strong arms the young 
minister’s eyes filled with tears as he remembered 
she was an orphan and more than that, she was 
his. 

“You realize, sister, that this a sacred charge, do 
you? And we have undertaken a work in which 
there is no small responsibility, for inside this 
little body there is a priceless human soul." 

A few days later Mr. McLenden called and being 
in a hurry was rising to go when Herbert said: 

“Wait a moment, I want to show you our 
little daughter." 

Bringing the child from his sister’s apartment 
he said as he re-entered the library: 

“Is she not beautiful?” 

“She certainly is," the artist replied taking the 
child and fondling it- “I should like to have a 
claim upon her also," he continued. “They told me 
at the charity bureau that her mother was dead 
and that you had adopted the child." 

“He seems quite interested in this babe," Mr. 
Townsley said as he carried her back to his sis- 
ter. His own attachment for the child was al- 
ready such that it pleased him to have others 
notice her. 

A week later Mr. McLenden called again and 
this time announced that he came especially to see 
Irene, and all the while he was there he spent play- 
ing with her, and again remarked that he should 
like to have a claim upon her, but neither Alta 
or her brother thought enough of the remark to 
answer him. 

“I do not see why I should not have a right to 
claim an interest in the child when only for me 


254 The Seal of Destiny. 

they would not have it themselves, since I was the 
first to send Miss Townsley to see the baby’s 
mother,” he said as he sat in his studio. His feel- 
ings were hurt because they had paid no attention 
to his remark. After sitting for some time in a 
deep study he suddenly rose saying: 

“I believe I will offer to buy an interest in it ; 
perhaps they would listen to such a proposition 
and if so I would be the happiest man in St. Louis. 
But I am afraid they will not tolerate the idea, 
for I can see they are both greatly attached to the 
child.” A shade of disappointment crossing his 
face at this last thought. 

Impatient to know what was ahead of him, Mr. 
MeLenden called the next day. 

Finding Alta among her flowers and Irene play- 
ing on the grass, he approached her saying : 

“Miss Townsley, I have come to make a propo- 
sition and ask a favor of you. Let us be seated, 
while I tell you,” he continued, leading her to 
a rustic seat. “I have come to offer to buy an 
interest in yonder beautiful babe, and if you will 
grant me this favor you will probably never under- 
stand how much it will mean to me. I feel that 
I have some claim upon her already, since I was 
the first to discover her. This is the offer I will 
make on the condition that you will allow me 
a one-third interest in the child. I will write you 
out a check now for one hundred dollars to be used 
upon her for anything you may need it for, and 
will place in the bank in her name to be used for 
educational purposes, two thousand more, the in- 
terest of which you can use as you see fit.” 

“And you would leave her here with me ?” Miss 
Townsley asked. 


255 


The Seal of Destiny. 

“Certainly; for not for worlds would I have 
any one else raise the child. You do not under- 
stand me, Miss Townsley, but it is the simple fact 
that you have undertaken to raise this little orphan 
that makes me so much want an interest in her/’ 

This phase of the question had not occurred 
to Alta and with an ache at her heart she now 
understood why her lover was so eager to have a 
claim upon the child whom he considered hers. 

“I will speak to brother about it and let you 
know in day or two. Will that satisfy you?” 

“No, it will not,” the artist answered. “I am 
impatient and must know at once.” 

He spoke smilingly but Alta knew he meant 
it and requesting him to watch Irene and see that 
no harm befell her, she went into the house to 
speak to Herbert. 

“I feel,” she said, “that only for me, Mr. Mc- 
Lenden would probably be married and enjoying 
domestic life in the bosom of a family of his own 
and that to refuse him this request would not only 
be very ungenerous of us, but a refusal for which 
we would have no excuse to offer, for I do not sec 
why he should not have a claim upon baby Irene.” 

“I think he ought to give us more time to de- 
cide in,” Mr. Townsley said, then after a moment 
of thoughtfulness he continued, “we are almost 
under obligations to accede to his wishes in this 
matter. Do you wish Mr. McLenden to have an 
interest in the child, sister?” he asked. 

“I do,” she said hardly above a whisper, then 
taking a step forward she laid her head upon 
her brother’s shoulder and wept. 

Folding his arms about her the affectionate 


256 The Seal of Destiny. 

brother knew the tears were springing from the 
fount of sorrow long pent up, from a heart replete 
with regrets for all the anguish by which human 
fortitude is tested. 

As his sister grew calm, Mr. Townsley said: 

"I have decided it will only be forming a 
stronger cordon about baby Irene to allow Mr. 
McLenden the interest in her which he craves, 
so if you will call him we will have an under- 
standing about it.” 

On being informed that they would accept his 
offer and would allow him to form with them a 
triple alliance about the mite of humanity, Mr. 
McLenden was so happy that he hardly knew how 
to express it. 

“The understanding is that I am to see her 
just as often as I like and if I wish to take her out 
it will be my privelege?” he said. 

“Yes, you are to feel that you have the same 
rights that either of us have,” Alta answered. 

“Then I will bring a lawyer at once and have 
the papers made out,” and turning to go, he asked : 
“May I carry her with me ? It is only a short dis- 
tance to the attorney’s office whom I wish to see.” 

And smiling Alta replied : 

“Why do you ask? Is she not yours as well 
as ours ?” 

This simple remark called forth all the paternal 
love of his strong nature, and as he carried his new 
possession down the street he knew she would soon 
become the idol of his heart. 

The legal business finished, Miss Townsley said, 
“I am teaching her to call me auntie and my 
brother Uncle Bert.” 


The Seal of Destiny. 257 

“Then let her call me Uncle Arthur/’ Mr. Mc- 
Lenden answered. 

It was not long after purchasing the interest 
in the orphan that the artist seemed to have given 
his whole life up to the child. He never let a day 
pass without seeing her and kept her at the studio 
at least one half of the time, while he spent hours 
in amusing her, all of which gave Alta much rest 
which she otherwise would not have had. While 
Mr. Townsley loved little Irene with the tenderest 
feeling, was lonesome when she was at the studio, 
and was never so happy as when she was in his 
arms or sitting upon his knee, Mr. McLenden’s 
love took a more vehement form and he idolized the 
child. When closing his studio, of evenings, he 
never went home without going first to the Towns- 
leys to bid her good-night, although he may have 
had her with him not an hour previous. He 
painted her portrait in almost every conceivable 
position and supplied himself with a camera that 
he might photograph her to his heart’s satisfac- 
tion. 

Seeing that nothing pleased him more than to 
select things for the child, Miss Townsley had 
fallen in the way of telling him of anything she 
might need and one day said, “Irene will be two 
years of age one week from to-day, Mr. McLenden, 
and if you wish to make her a birthday present I 
can think of nothing she needs so much as she 
does a crib.” 

And forthwith the indulgent foster-uncle started 
out to select a crib, the greater part of the inter- 
vening week being given to the purpose, and when 
at last he found one to suit his aesthetic tastes it 


258 The Seal of Destiny. 

was a proof in white and gold and rich lace and 
silk drapery that the purchaser’s knowledge of 
the science of the beautiful was not at fault. 

“Come to my room and see the crib which her 
Uncle Arthur has sent Irene for her birthday,,” 
Alta said to her brother soon after the dainty piece 
of furniture had been delivered; and smiling as 
his eyes rested upon it Mr. Townsley said: 

“He must have paid a small fortune for that.” 

“I should judge he had,” Alta returned, “it is 
fit for an heir to royalty to rest in.” 

“Irene is taking a nap in her new crib, Mr. Mc- 
Lenden, and if you like you can go and see her in 
it,” Miss Townsley said on the afternoon of the 
birthday when the artist called with a supply of 
toys to see the child. “He is simply foolish about 
that babe,” she remarked to her brother as Mr. 
McLenden left them and went down the hall to the 
room where the little one slept. 

Kneeling by the crib and looking lovingly at 
the baby face and blonde curls resting on the 
dainty pillow, his eyes were moist as with a deep 
sigh Mr. McLenden said : 

“Ah, my darling, my treasure, you know not 
that you are the beautiful link which I feel in 
some way binds her life to mine; that you have 
proved the panacea to alleviate an overwhelming 
disappointment produced by 01.3 of the great 
tragedies of love ; that to me you are an angel sent 
to fill an aching void and a balm to heal the 
crushed spirit and soothe the wounded heart, nor 
do you know that you are hers and mine.” 


THE END. 















































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